Why Aren't My Chickens Laying? Here Are Your Answers!

[zoogirl26]

Thank you. I forgot to add some details. I was told about the shorter days, so we installed a light with a timer in January, and within a couple of weeks, they were laying again. I also forgot to talk about their diet. I give them laying pellets, mixed half and half with scratch, in a hanging feeder in the coop and they have access to it at all times. So I feel like they are getting good nutrition and enough light.

 

[zoogirl26]

Another thing I forgot to clarify. The hens that used to produce very well, but now are not producing at all, are 2 partridge rock hens, and 2 production red hens, and they are approx. 2 years old.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I wouldn't give my girls free access to 50% scratch... that seems like a lot.

 

[zoogirl26]

Thanks for that advice. I hadn't heard that before, but I can certainly cut back on the scratch.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Try feeding measured amounts of laying pellets morning and night, and scratch only as treats. You'll have to go ogle around to find the amount to fit your size hens, but it's out there.

They shouldn't be done yet...

 

[chickenwisper44]

I agree a pet if it is on your property and it is yours, a predator if it is not your dog. Too many chickens killed when I had let mine roam our property and dogs came and killed my hens. Now if it is a predator it gets shot. Sorry people, I really do love dogs but these girls are our food and eggs and they come first. People need to love their dogs and keep them safe by tying them up , caged or fenced in, or they really do not love their dogs. This can not be any more simple than that.

 

[gigelus2k13]

Boy, this thread is so long!

One Gotcha! I think I stumbled upon this morning is water. The more a chicken drinks, the more she will lay.

I have read about the trick with giving chicken black pepper or hot peppers; it really works and apparently the key factor is that the spiciness makes them thirsty and they drink more water.

One of my chicken, a barred rock, is laying her egg with clockwork precision, every morning between 8 and 8:30. Today though, when I checked at 9AM, there was no egg. Then I noticed that the water can was empty and that the chicken were thirsty. I filled the can and saw how the hens drank with no pause for like 5 minutes. After another quarter hour, the barred rock laid her egg!

Therefore, if your hen does not lay, check whether she's getting enough water; that may be the ticket.

 

[zoogirl26]

Thanks for the advice about water. They have clean water available at all times. But when they come out of their coop/pen in the morning, they always rush over to the freshly filled horse water and drink a bunch. I probably should clean out and refill the water in their pen more than twice a week.

 

[Penny Lalonde]

In fall/winter, especially, this question is sometimes asked several times a day. The article has your answers!

http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/20763/pnw565.pdf


Generally, your answers are:


Decreasing day length

Molt

Broodiness

Flock health

Age

Poor nutrition

Stress


See article for the full explanation of each cause.



Adding articles to supplement the first one since some don't feel it was entirely correct--the main problem is that you can't generalize about all hens, but you have to consider the general information as your starting point. The basic causes listed are correct.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps029
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/723/troubleshooting-egg-production-problems

Mine were laying. Is it normal for them to stop laying for a week or so?

 

[dsfrango]

Sooo I have 3 different breeding cages with dif breeds including Sumatras and dif varieties of D'uccles. They have all virtually stopped laying eggs for almost 2 weeks now. They are only a year and a half old. I'm not a beginner so I know the basics about stress and a changing environment and weather/temp changes, etc but I am positive all of those factors are stabile. The ONE change I made, no laughing here, was the type of nesting box shavings. I went from a courser type pine shavings to the softer more ground up stuff. Could that possibly change there laying habits?