Winter off lay

[Adrienne-m]

Hey all! I have 14 in my flock (13 ladies and 1 gentleman). There are 3 barred rocks, 2 buff orpingtons, 2 Easter Eggers, 3 cinnamon queens and 3 black australorps. My BRs, BOs and EEs were born in April and are my original girls (my OGs). The OGs seem to have gone completely off lay. They really cut down on production early October and have totally stopped except for one buff that gives me one egg a day. Is this odd? I expected a decrease but they’ve completely stopped. And my EEs haven’t started laying yet which I also find strange at 8 months old. They have plenty of room, plenty of water and quality food and all seem happy as can be. Any advice?

 

[donddon]

Hey all! I have 14 in my flock (13 ladies and 1 gentleman). There are 3 barred rocks, 2 buff orpingtons, 2 Easter Eggers, 3 cinnamon queens and 3 black australorps. My BRs, BOs and EEs were born in April and are my original girls (my OGs). The OGs seem to have gone completely off lay. They really cut down on production early October and have totally stopped except for one buff that gives me one egg a day. Is this odd? I expected a decrease but they’ve completely stopped. And my EEs haven’t started laying yet which I also find strange at 8 months old. They have plenty of room, plenty of water and quality food and all seem happy as can be. Any advice?

They will start again in the spring, when the days are longer.

 

[Adrienne-m]

They will start again in the spring, when the days are longer.

Ok! I don’t have any interest in “tricking” them into laying through winter with lights or anything. I want them to naturally do their thing, I was just getting worried.

 

[Adrienne-m]

Cute chicken pic just because. This is Blackberry roosting on top of Poppy.

 

[donddon]

Ok! I don’t have any interest in “tricking” them into laying through winter with lights or anything. I want them to naturally do their thing, I was just getting worried.

I'm glad. I'd never suggest burning them out with artificial stimuli.

 

[Callender Girl]

It's that time of year. All summer, my 19 hens were producing about seven dozen eggs a week; it's like the joke about people leaving their overabundance of zucchini on your doorstep. In addition to selling eggs -- because it was hard to get to buyers during the pandemic -- everyone I know was getting at least a dozen free eggs any time they saw me.

Now? ONE day this week, I got three eggs. Three days, I got one egg. And, yup, no eggs at all on the others. Fortunately for my lazy slackers, I still adore them and will continue to feed them and provide shelter and fresh water -- even breaking ice when necessary -- until they start up again in the spring.

 

[aart]

The OGs seem to have gone completely off lay... They really cut down on production early October

When did they start to lay?
I would think April chicks would have just started laying in October.

Not all pullets lay thru their first winter.
My one and only pullet this year laid for a month then went broody and she hasn't laid since.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[JNC]

I think as long as they are acting fine you shouldn’t be worried. In my opinion I also don’t like the artificial light thing just because I think it’s so much on their body.

 

[Cindy in PA]

As others have said, they will lay as days get longer. I have found mine usually start laying more right after the winter solstice, ramping up towards Spring. Seems weird, but the little bit of daily increased light, seems to be the trigger.