Help! Hens Not Laying

[Prieto1399]

Hen advice needed! I have four hens, two silver laced wyandottes and two sapphire sky. We got them back in early May, and two of them (I believe the Wyandottes) have been laying since early September. We've gotten a few eggs from the sapphire sky, but maybe only four in total.

The two wyandottes were consistently giving us two eggs every day until a few days ago. We did change their feed from a flock-raiser feed (with oyster shell supplement) to a layer feed, as I was told that's what you want for your hens.

Then I noticed we went down to one egg a day. Yesterday, the one egg we had was very strange, with a bumpy shell with brown speckles all over it. Normally they're just a pale greenish color. Now this morning, no eggs at all.

Could it be the feed? The cold? It gets down to about 40 degrees at night where I am now, and the days are usually up to the 60s still. I know winter affects laying, but they're both supposed to be cold-hardy breeds. Why would the sapphire not be laying at all? They have access to fresh water and food daily, and the four of them are in a 10x10 chicken run that I rake the poo out of every couple of days, and their coop gets a complete clean every week.

I'm new to chickens, so I'm not quite sure what to do or what could be going on. Any advice would be wonderful!

 

[Kiki]

Most chickens stop laying all together for the winter.

 

[SueT]

It's the length of day. Mine all have stopped laying now, and will resume in the spring when the days start to get longer.

 

[Prieto1399]

It's the length of day. Mine all have stopped laying now, and will resume in the spring when the days start to get longer.

Even the Wyandottes? I thought I read that they lay all through winter.

If it is that they're just done for the winter, I'll feel much better, like I didn't do something wrong for them!

I'm not trying to argue, promise! I'm just learning all about these little ladies!

 

[StinkyAcres]

How old are your chickens?

 

[lagrange chicks]

My egg count has dropped also from 4 to 6 a day to maybe 1. It's the shorter days and the girls are molting in my case.

 

[SueT]

Even the Wyandottes? I thought I read that they lay all through winter.

If it is that they're just done for the winter, I'll feel much better, like I didn't do something wrong for them!

I'm not trying to argue, promise! I'm just learning all about these little ladies!

Yes, I've had Wyandottes, they take a break in the winter as well. There are production breeds that will lay all winter, but they don't live as long....

 

[RojoMarz]

Just wanted to mention that Wyandotte's are brown egg layers, so they may not be laying yet, if the eggs are greenish. My Feb born Wyandotte's didn't end up laying until they were about 11 months old.

 

[Prieto1399]

Just wanted to mention that Wyandotte's are brown egg layers, so they may not be laying yet, if the eggs are greenish. My Feb born Wyandotte's didn't end up laying until they were about 11 months old.

The other eggs that we've gotten have been a super pale blueish grey color, so also know brown. I'm so curious now! We only have those two breeds.

 

[Prieto1399]

How old are your chickens?

About six/seven months. The Wyandottes are closer to the six month mark, and the Sapphire Sky are closer to the seven month, I believe.