Why are my chickens not laying?

[Birdlover_13]

Hi, I’m not new to chickens but I never had chickens do this I have 5 laying hens I bought as chicks 2 years ago 3 are white leghorns, and 2 are golden comets, anyway they layed eggs up until last fall they haven’t started back laying any eggs, do they stop laying after certain age? Temporarily they’re in a small coop until I get there new coop built so maybe they’re stressed I don’t know, I know I haven’t had any eggs since last year just before fall!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Stress could be a factor in why they haven't started up again. Are the birds contained in a run or do they free range? Have you checked their vents to see if they look like they should be laying?

Were you previously cycling out chickens at the 18 month mark to avoid molt? Because it's normal for them to molt in fall and then resume laying in spring.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

-How big is the small coop and run?
-What brand of feed and type are you feeding? Are you feeding anything extra?

 

[Birdlover_13]

They don’t free do to predators mainly my neighbors dog that sometimes get loose, and no I haven’t check there vents, and they did molt last fall, and I’m not sure what you mean on cycling out chickens? If you mean did I give them extra calcium during molting and yes I did!

 

[Birdlover_13]

-How big is the small coop and run?
-What brand of feed and type are you feeding? Are you feeding anything extra?

-How big is the small coop and run?
-What brand of feed and type are you feeding? Are you feeding anything extra?

-How big is the small coop and run?
-What brand of feed and type are you feeding? Are you feeding anything extra?

Not sure size of coop it’s about size of a 10 by 10 chain link dog pen but it’s split in 3 sections it was made for bantams actually and each section has a house built on it which they can go in, and I’m feeding them nature wise organic laying crumbles, and I feed them meal worms and 5 grain scratch, that’s all.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Not sure size of coop it’s about size of a 10 by 10 chain link dog pen but it’s split in 3 sections it was made for bantams actually and each section has a house built on it which they can go in, and I’m feeding them nature wise organic laying crumbles, and I feed them meal worms and 5 grain scratch, that’s all.

Is that what they are in 24/7 or do they range? How much scratch and meal worms do they get average in a day? That feed is 16% protein which is already on the low end.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They don’t free do to predators mainly my neighbors dog that sometimes get loose, and no I haven’t check there vents, and they did molt last fall, and I’m not sure what you mean on cycling out chickens? If you mean did I give them extra calcium during molting and yes I did!

They don't need extra calcium during molting, they need it during laying. And cycling chickens mainly means removing old birds and replacing them with better laying pullets

 

[rosemarythyme]

They don’t free do to predators mainly my neighbors dog that sometimes get loose, and no I haven’t check there vents, and they did molt last fall, and I’m not sure what you mean on cycling out chickens? If you mean did I give them extra calcium during molting and yes I did!

Vent check: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Cycling out chickens like JacinLarkwell said is replacing birds as they age to ensure egg production. Chickens generally molt in fall around 18 months of age, then slow or completely stop laying through winter, to start again as daylight hours lengthen in spring. However some things can throw that off - aging, stress, poor health, etc.

 

[nuthatched]

They don’t free do to predators mainly my neighbors dog that sometimes get loose, and no I haven’t check there vents, and they did molt last fall, and I’m not sure what you mean on cycling out chickens? If you mean did I give them extra calcium during molting and yes I did!

You're supposed to give the extra protein while molting, not calcium.
She means, adding new chicks and culling the old ones every 18 months.

 

[Birdlover_13]

Thanks everyone, there only 2 yrs old I did some researched and it said they stop laying about age 6 or 7 years old, I think stress was a big factor cause they in there new coop now and they started back laying I also put them on a more protein diet and give them meal worms, they seem more happy now, I’m also in process of building fence so they can free range to. Thanks for the advice