Why aren't my chickens laying?

[b32george]

Hello; I am a newbie. I have had layers for about 7 years. I usually keep between 24 and 40 shaver red sex link chickens. Hardy and healthy. I buy 12 to 18 every year and get rid of them at around 3.5 years of age. I know. I'm a softy. Well. NONE of them are laying very well right now. I mean, with 34 chickens right now I am getting between 2 and 9 eggs per day! Terrible. This has gone on for about 2 months. This can't all be moulting, can it? They have indoor access to dark laying nests but spend most of their time out doors in a pen that is about 16 by 16 feet. I live in southern Ontario (Canada). Its cold, but they were doing better in January! The pen is muddy. Does that matter? They have adequate everything. I don't even know what I should be thinking about including in here since I haven't a clue anymore what to look for. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mamaboyd]

Mine are doing the dame thing. For the past 2 weeks I maybe get 1-4 eggs per day from 13 hens. My girls will be 1 yrs old in May. Maybe it's the weather change

P/S. Welcome to the forum, it's nice to see another Ontarian!!

 

[b32george]

Thanks for the quick reply. My you have quite a menagerie! Do you think it could be the weather? I have heard that chickens are some kind of weather indicators, but I have no idea how the show it (maybe low pressure = stop laying?). The weather has been poor this past few weeks for sure!

 

[mamaboyd]

Yes, the weather has been quite odd lately!! We got rain for most the day and now it's snowing(just the wet stuff), but geesh, it's supposed to be spring!! I think my girls are in the spring molting which I hope ends soon as we have neighbors wanting eggs, and we aren't getting many.

This is our first year with chickens, so We've never been through the molting thing before, my girls will be 1 in May.
We do have quite the menangerie of critters here and my kids want more!!

 

[wynedot55]

yes it could be the unstable weather causing them lay spraraddic.or they could be molting.sometimes during molt you dont see major feather lose.

 

[b32george]

Hello; Could anybody tell me for how long egg production "falls off" during the molt? Is the end in sight? Is spring a typical time for the molt to occur? All of my chickens are bought at 6 months of age (the start of production) and are either .5, 1.5, 2.5 or 3.5 years old right now. Does that help? I have put blinders onto them to prevent them from cannibalizing their own eggs and that has prevented the loss of a LOT of eggs.
Thank you all SOOOOO much for your help! Any info is a bonus right now!

 

[wynedot55]

the molt time can differ as the hens age.some may molt an keep laying eggs.an some may molt an take 2 or 3 months to start back laying.