Why won't they lay?!?

[SunnySideChik]

I haven't gotten a single egg from my 3 New Hampshire Reds since the 2/3 week of August. Before that we were getting at least 12 eggs a week. We've had one hen, Lucy, lay in other places in the past multiple times which have caused the other two, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, to lay in other places as well. One time Lucy went missing for about a week and one day she ran over as we were feeding the other 2 and we followed her back to 14 eggs where she was trying to hatch them. We've always been able to find where they lay in the past which our favorite new spot was right under our porch steps, very convienient for us, but we haven't even gotten any there. They molted right after we got back from vacation in August. We live in Virginia and didn't have a problem last year when the weather was changing last couple winters we haven't given them a light or anything they've been fine. We've even locked them in the pen/coop for 2 weeks and have gotten nothing. They are approx 2-3 years old can't remember for sure. Are they done laying or what's going on??

 

[Mahlzeit]

Have you had them since they were young or were you given them as adult and told what age they are. Maybe they are older than you think and they only lay in the summer now?

 

[SunnySideChik]

My boyfriends dad got them when they were chicks he gave them to us maybe 2-3 yrs ago can't remember for the life of me they are at the oldest 4 yrs old. I didn't know that as hens got older they go from all year round laying to just summer laying.

 

[Mahlzeit]

Yeah, as they get older they lay less and less and eventually only lay in summer.

 

[SunnySideChik]

Thank you so much! That may be what they are doing! I appreciate your response.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Older hens"layoff" for the winter with the breaks becoming longer between cycles.

 

[aart]

You might consider this for future reference too:

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 2-3 days can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[SunnySideChik]

Problem with our chickens, which are free range, is no matter how long we lock them up for once they get let back out after a couple days they are laying other places. Soon enough they are going back to my boyfriends dads house where I'm gonna let them stay cause I am tired of egg hunting when they are able to roam. They won't be aloud to roam at his house.

 

[Mahlzeit]

You cant build a run for them to stay in? During the day my chickens stay in an enclosed run and when I get home from work I let them out to free range. By then most of the hens have laid for the day and I don't have an issue hunting for eggs.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Problem with our chickens, which are free range, is no matter how long we lock them up for once they get let back out after a couple days they are laying other places. Soon enough they are going back to my boyfriends dads house where I'm gonna let them stay cause I am tired of egg hunting when they are able to roam. They won't be aloud to roam at his house.

Couldn't you just not free range them at your place??