The 'chickens aren't laying' Thread

[cluckcluckgirl]

I don't know if anyone else's chickens are doing this, but mine are. They molted this year, finished up their molt, started laying good again (8 eggs a day from 14 hens), then within a week went down to 1 egg a day from 14 hens. Sometimes I'll get 2 eggs a day if I'm real lucky. They declined their production so fast, and there's nothing wrong. They're all well within the laying age, none of them have any illnesses, there's no stress (I make an effort to make them happier each day), and food and water is plentiful. They just stopped. They were laying pretty good considering the daylight hours, but now (with the daylight hours still the same as when I was getting eggs) they're just not laying much.

Anyone else's chickens doing this?

 

[Free Feather]

Are you certain they are not just hiding them, or someone is brooding them?

 

[sourland]

This time of year second year or older hens generally take a break. It's the norm.

 

[aart]

Do you free range?

When (what week of what month) did they start laying after the molt?
I assume they are over 18 months old?

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

No, they have a very large coop area that's fenced in. There's not really anywhere to hide the eggs out there because it's very open. They started laying again in late November-early December. That was when the egg laying was at its peak of 8 out of 14 hens laying. Yes, most are over 18 months old. I have a batch of 7 new chicks that are just over 4 months old, but I'm not including them in those 14 hens since they're not near laying yet.

 

[puss58]

I have 22 hens of laying age. I'm lucky if I get 4 eggs a day now. I keep warning them that if they don't start, they'll have the stew pot as a swimming pool. They pay me no mind.

 

[aart]

Probably just the long nights/short days.