helping hens lay again?

[patandchickens]

Days are short, and especially if these are non high laying performance breeds and/or are past their first year, that will decrease or shut down laying.

Days won't start lengthening for 2 more weeks (and even then, it will be a while before they get long enough to restimulate laying, although in my flock hens seem to restart a shorter time AFTER the solstice than they slowed down BEFORE it).

In principle you could add light but there is usually a long enough lag that I'm not sure how useful it would be to add it *now*, unless you live somewhere way north maybe.

Next year, you can freeze some extras in late summer or early fall, to use in baking/cooking this time of year. Or, try to get a couple new sexlink pullets each year (if you can stand that big a flock) as they will generally lay pretty well thru their first winter without any supplemental light

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[me&thegals]

Hi--We have Australorps and Rhode Island reds, as far as "endangered." As far as "uncommon" birds, we have Orpingtons and Ameraucana/Araucana. Under "good foragers," we have Wyandotts. The noncommercial strains of Leghorns are said to be good foragers, and ours actually are excellent foragers!

 

[Grandma Goldie]

I don't know if this will help you any or not OR if there is even anything to it but, my grandma would put cayanne pepper in the water for her chickens to get them started laying after they molted. She said it warmed up their insides. I have 7 BR and 5 BA and they are molting but I am still getting 4-6 eggs a day. I hope they keep on for a while longer.

 

[Beekissed]

If their combs are pale it could mean they are suffering some anemia from some source or another. Could be internal or external parasites.....this was happening to mine and I hadn't paid attention enough to notice. I had taken a small flock of free chickens who looked healthy but were apparently carrying some leg mites along for the ride.

Before I knew it my own flock were not laying, pale combed and were looking pretty grim. Just as soon as I treated for this, it only took two days for combs to brighten and eggs to be laid in the nest once more.

Not laying since Oct. and being the breeds you have, there may be an underlying reason, not just the cold temps.

 

[Wifezilla]

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

They do!!
LOL

 

[Dace]

Hey Bee....how did you treat your hens?

I just had one dies and my other three look very healthy but I was noticing that one of them has a paler comb than the other two. Wondering if I should be concerned or take some action! I don't want to pick up the nick name death farm!

 

[patandchickens]

Although, remember that when they take a break for laying, for instance b/c of molting or b/c of short days, the comb *does* get smaller and paler as a result. So, I think you have to look at the whole picture to decide whether a pale comb is likely to be normal or a problem.

Pat

 

[Beekissed]

Well, the first time I massaged bag balm into their legs and intermixed some cedar chips in the pine shavings in the nests and on the floor. A week later, I dipped their legs in olive oil. As a final treatment, even though they all look red-combed and livelier, I want to spray some olive oil cooking spray on their legs.

The overgrown scales are sloughing off, but I'm still worried about mites, so I will periodically grease up their legs just to be sure. I didn't want to use any chemicals and I don't quite trust the DE is good for their respiratory function.

I didn't add enough cedar chips to cause any problems with breathing, just enough that may deter mites in the nests and on the floor.

 

[Dace]

Well all of their legs look healthy, I was just checking them out yesterday. So maybe I should just keep an eye on her to make sure it is just normal molt.

Boy I can't wait for egg production to ramp up!

 

[Beekissed]

Could they have wormies?