Why aren't my girls laying anymore?

[Miss Chuckles]

My 4 hens (of undetermined age) were laying most days through even the darkest weeks of winter (and that's with 16 hours of darkness up here). In the early spring 3 out of 4 hens stopped laying. I tried everything and then realised, to my horror and shame for not noticing, that they had a particularly bad infestation of lice. After a thorough treatment and quite a bit of nursing only one has started to lay again after several months but they all appear very healthy and are strutting around as sassy as usual. But... I'm still only getting 1 - 2 eggs a day, usually 1 from the gal who never stopped laying (bless her!). Is this a long term effect due to the infestation? The treatment (very conservative use of topical Ivomec)? Or is something else going on?

 

[flgardengirl]

Are they moulting? Chickens will go through a molt and quit laying for awhile due to thier energy is directed into growing back thier feathers. Also the heat this time of year comes into play. Mine are seriously lagging now that it has been really hot for several months. If they are good winter layers they may not be great summer layers with the heat....

 

[Southerngirl]

They are probably molting. I go from 30+ eggs a day to 3-5 during the molt period. Do you give them oyster shell for extra calcium too? Sometimes that helps.

 

[Miss Chuckles]

One definitely seems to be molting but only within the past few days. As for the heat, I wish! I live in Ireland and I'm wearing a sweater right now.