helping hens lay again?

[inchworm]

I really don't mind that the girls are taking a much needed rest. They've been great layers for 18 months. But I didn't think they would all stop COMPLETELY. I've been reduced to buying tasteles eggs at the market. Is there something I can do to help them start laying again? Last egg I got was the last week of October....


Inchworm

 

[big brown horse]

I really don't mind that the girls are taking a much needed rest. They've been great layers for 18 months. But I didn't think they would all stop COMPLETELY. I've been reduced to buying tasteles eggs at the market. Is there something I can do to help them start laying again? Last egg I got was the last week of October....


Inchworm

Inchy do you have artificial lights? Also, what kind of chickens do you have?

 

[me&thegals]

There's a thread floating around here about artificial light. We have our light on a timer to get in 12 hours of light per day. They're laying, but they're not up eating 24/7.

That said, my Araucanas are completely egg free right now. I wonder if some breeds are more sensitive to light/cold than others...

Here's what I think of supermarket eggs:

Good question, inchie!

 

[Dace]

Great question....

My 3 girls are only laying one egg ever couple days ....and for the past nearly two weeks I have had to toss the few I am getting because of the wormer I gave them.

Can I just say store bought eggs SUCK!

This spring I need to buy another 4 or so chicks.....but that means I will need a bigger coop.

 

[inchworm]

No artificial light. They have access to the outside 24/7 and range free over a couple of acres around 4 days a week. It is a flock of 3 Wyandottes, 2 Easter Eggers, and 1 Australorp, and 1 Khaki Campbell duck who is probably too young to lay. No one has laid since October. Their combs are pale as can be. I thought I heard once higher protein (like catfood) helps. But I toss them meat scraps and they can eat all the insects they can find.

 

[ToLiveToLaugh]

Inchy, if you're somewhere cold enough, it may just not matter. I know my aunt who live in canada has her hens flat out stop all winter. They just don't wanna! She doesn't use any light though, so that may help. For my girls, when their laying went down, I moved them into a warmer coop, and that seemed to help quite a bit. Of course, where I live tends to be pretty temperate.

On the other hand, you said they laid for 18 months. So that would mean they laid last winter. Unless this winter is particularly harsher, I don't know what to tell you!

 

[big brown horse]

My Ameraucanas are not laying either. Neither is my BA...but she was always a slacker. The only one doing her job is my RIR. So far, 5-6 eggs per week; no artificial light and it is freakin' cold!! 10-16 degrees at night and about 20-30 degrees during the day.

 

[me&thegals]

My Ameraucanas are not laying either. Neither is my BA...but she was always a slacker. The only one doing her job is my RIR. So far, 5-6 eggs per week; no artificial light and it is freakin' cold!! 10-16 degrees at night and about 20-30 degrees during the day.

The kids and I huddled at the end of the driveway waiting for the bus at -4 F! So, inchy let me reconsider my comment on cold. The hens have no heat at all, only deep bedding and negative temps. Maybe my Araucanas (which are probably actually Easter Eggers) aren't tough enough to deal. Most of the rest are heritage breeds that probably are built to withstand the cold, although I have Leghorns too and they keep right on laying!

I've read that even 1 day of dark can send them into molt, and you have to wait forever for them to start laying again...

 

[Wifezilla]

My ducks have gone on strike. When days started to get short, 2 went in to a heavy molt. One was just getting to laying age. The other is just a slacker! I was getting an occasional egg from my runner when she finally finished growing some feathers back, but now that the temps have plunged, she quit again.

At least the quail are still laying

 

[big brown horse]

My ducks have gone on strike. When days started to get short, 2 went in to a heavy molt. One was just getting to laying age. The other is just a slacker! I was getting an occasional egg from my runner when she finally finished growing some feathers back, but now that the temps have plunged, she quit again.

At least the quail are still laying

Those quail have a posh job...working indoors!

And m&tg, -4???? Hope you had your snow suits on! What kind of heritage breeds do you have? I'm getting some next time!