Why have they stopped laying?

[Kyng]

It’s not so cold here really, but the weather has changed. The chickens have not been laying. I get between 3-6 eggs on a good day when I was getting 11+
Some haven’t laid since they were broody months ago.
One chicken I found mites in her, treated them all, and her feathers have since started growing back - but no eggs.
I have 23 or 24, and maybe 16 are supposed to be laying
Can there be an explanation that I’m not aware of, or is it just the weather change?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How old are they?

 

[Kyng]

How old are they?

The layers are between 8 months to a year and a half

 

[redinator]

The layers are between 8 months to a year and a half

I have 20 pullets and only 4 are laying. The 4 that are laying hatched in February/March and started laying at 4-5 months old in the middle of summer and continued to lay all winter.

The rest hatched in June/July and turned 4-5 months old as the temp changed and the days got shorter in Oct/Nov and none of them have started laying yet.

Our winters are mild here, but can get pretty wet and miserable. This is my first year with chickens though, so wait for others to chime in.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The layers are between 8 months to a year and a half

The older ones may be molting since they're of age for it, and shorter days will trigger that - have you noticed increased feathers in the coop or run area? Even younger layers can be affected by shortened daylight length.

Do you free range or are the birds always confined?

 

[Kyng]

The older ones may be molting since they're of age for it, and shorter days will trigger that - have you noticed increased feathers in the coop or run area? Even younger layers can be affected by shortened daylight length.

Do you free range or are the birds always confined?

Yes. Feathers all over.
But I didn’t notice patches missing on the actual chickens so I assumed they’re just losing some feathers here and there.
They are confined in a coop, but it’s on a dirt floor

 

[rosemarythyme]

Not all molts are hard, where birds lose so much feathering that they look half bare and patchy. A soft molt is enough to trigger a hen to lay less or not at all, until days start getting longer again.

 

[Kyng]

Thank you!

 

[pennyJo1960]

The others have given you some great reasons.
I sure hope one of them or all of them may apply.

 

[redinator]

I also just realized you said some went broody and haven't laid since then. If the weather turned after they finished raising their chicks that could also explain why they didn't start laying after being broody.