Chickens not laying - solutions, please

[starryhen]

Hello Peeps, As many have posted my chickens have stopped laying. Mine after a brutal Summer drought so I wasn't too worried but I have never had chickens stop laying. Mine have alway produced eggs all year well into their old age. They are free range and fed an old trusted home remedy plus layena. They have recovered from the drought stress but have not started laying and now it is Autumn. ... Has anyone had their chickens start laying again? I know there are things you can feed chickens to improve egg laying but I've forgotten what they were. I've had some trouble after adding the commercial pellets about 2 years ago. Some on my chicken fb group suspect the layer pellets and I plan to stop using them since I made their food for years and years of chicken owning. So, solutions. Switch back to 100% homemade? Get chicks? I plan to do both. But what has worked for you all?

 

[starryhen]

I know it is difficult in the Winter months but I want to be sure they will start laying in the Spring. I no longer feel like raising chicks myself and they are not broody, of course.

 

[FrostRanger]

First, how old are your birds? If they're getting up there adding new birds might be your only option. Some birds lay into old age and some don't. It honestly mostly comes down the luck of the genetic lotto although of course good diet and conditions do help. Second, most birds don't lay through winter after their first year. Again, some do but it is again determined by genetics, you can get them to possibly lay through winter by adding supplementary light which some people do (I don't. I prefer to let my girls have breaks as needed). I'd plan for more chicks in spring and wait and see what your current girls do in spring

 

[Yardmom]

Have you always had young birds in the flock? How old are your current birds? What breeds are your chickens? Have there been any changes in your breeds?
My daughter added silkies to our flock. I figured they wouldn't have much purpose beyond pets, but they contribute by hatching chicks. I don't have to wait for one to go broody because their is always one already broody. The pullets then lay in winter and ....so do the silkies even some of the older ones
Also what part of the world are you in? This affect not only your climate but your light cycles as well.

 

[nuthatched]

If you're in the northern hemisphere, it's normal winter break, nothing except hormone shots will kick start their Normal cycle. Just be patient, they should lay by the beginning of march.