why are my chickens not laying eggs

[chickenlover8969]

my chickens are 6-8 months old and i know they should be laying all of them are laying or dual purpose breeds is it bc there beginig laying time was in fall /winter

 

[Lillith37]

my chickens are 6-8 months old and i know they should be laying all of them are laying or dual purpose breeds is it bc there beginig laying time was in fall /winter

Egg laying is directly related to amount of light so if you’re somewhere where there isn’t enough light hours then they won’t be laying.

What do you feed them?

 

[azygous]

I assume it's the dark of winter there. That's the problem. Your pullets reached the point where they could begin to lay if there was enough light to trigger their pineal gland which would in turn trigger their laying hormones. For there to be enough light, the pullets need to have twelve hours of continuous light, then a little more each day. Then in about two weeks you might be able to see the first egg.

You can do this artificially by plugging in a light, 60watt would do, and have it come on a couple hours before the sun is due to come up, but it's a trade-off. The extra weeks between now and when they would normally start to lay their bodies can be maturing further and getting stronger. Their egg quality may be better, and so would their overall health.

In my opinion, it's worth the wait. If you're patient, they could start to lay by late next month.

 

[chickenlover8969]

my chickens are 6-8 months old and i know they should be laying most of them are laying or dual purpose breeds i know there begining period was when it was cold im in eastern Pa like half hour from philidelpeia so is it just that since they havent layed befor and it was cold the nesting boxes are in the coop should they be in the run

 

[wrathsfarm]

Shorter daylight hours might be stopping them from laying.
Nest boxes should be in coop.

Pics of nest box location?

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

When it is cold, chickens slow down in production and often times stop laying altogether. Wait until the temperature warms up, and your pullets should start laying again.

 

[SueT]

My hens all stop laying for the winter. The young pullets, who come of age when the days are getting shorter, will wait for spring when the days lengthen. I have some myself who are waiting. Maybe February…..

 

[TooCheep]

What they said. Nothing to worry about. Perfectly normal. There are many reasons why hens will stop or lessen egg laying: aging, molting, sometimes when they are sick, and shorter daylight (winter) are the usual reasons.

Commercial egg producers keep their chickens in a very artificial environment: climate controlled, indoors with artificial light to keep them laying in winter. Most backyard chicken owners let their bodies rest in winter, though some use artificial lighting.

 

[TheDandyLion]

Tis the season. If it helps any... Mine started laying in September and are 8 months old too. I have 5. Two (BR & SLW) lay consistently still. Three (Orp & RIR) are hit/miss, laying about 1 egg every 2-3 days. In September/October I was getting 4-5 eggs daily.

 

[Insnesnakos]

Hens take a break in the winter and don't lay as much
They'll be laying again when it gets warmer