Hens not laying

[Bestdogdash]

As title really. I have four hens, previously very reliable layers. They all seem to have stopped. I wondered if it may be the hot weather?

I haven't changed anything in their routine or feeding and they are all about a year old. They are completely free to wander anywhere, rather than kept in a run.

 

[Suelin]

They are probably either moulting or coming up to moult. They can't do both things at once. Growing new feathers takes a lot of energy from them, that and the heat will be your answer I think.

Quite normal for the time of year.

 

[Alexart]

Mine are moulting and laying in fits and starts at the mo, or going broody!!!

 

[Lollii]

Just had 6 of mine eaten by a fox .... was early evening so be careful if yours are not locked away, I'm gutted!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

some of mine stopped for 10 days or so while moulting, they're now coming back into lay-they are also ~12 months old.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Check that they don't have red mite. Red mite thrive in the hot weather and they literally sap the life out of hens. If you slowly put your arm through the coop doorway the red mite if there are any will drop onto your arm to feed. They would also be visible under bedding - they are grey before they feed and red as they are full of blood after a good night's work Horrible things. If you rub the nest box floor it will smear red if you have an infestation. You can buy some spray to make up to disinfect the coop. The birds would also need dusting under the wings and bottom.

Are your hens combs light pinky in colour? They usually go paler when the hen is off lay. My hens are sneaky and lay in different places in an attempt to gather a nest of eggs to sit on. One hen (I have 12 so easy to miss one) returned with 12 chicks one morning That doubling of my flock was a shock.

 

[Bestdogdash]

Many thanks all! All useful answers. Definitely not red mite, am obsessive about checking for them. I actually got 2 eggs this morning ( contrary girls!) but think - having read the posts - that one is laying somewhere else and the other moulting.

Ps. So sorry to hear about the fox kill - we don't seem to have them here, but I did lose one to a badger last year.

 

[mulledwhine]

Sounds like they are in moult

 

[flirtygerty]

Check that they don't have red mite. Red mite thrive in the hot weather and they literally sap the life out of hens. If you slowly put your arm through the coop doorway the red mite if there are any will drop onto your arm to feed. They would also be visible under bedding - they are grey before they feed and red as they are full of blood after a good night's work Horrible things. If you rub the nest box floor it will smear red if you have an infestation. You can buy some spray to make up to disinfect the coop. The birds would also need dusting under the wings and bottom.

Are your hens combs light pinky in colour? They usually go paler when the hen is off lay. My hens are sneaky and lay in different places in an attempt to gather a nest of eggs to sit on. One hen (I have 12 so easy to miss one) returned with 12 chicks one morning That doubling of my flock was a shock.

A shock, that would be a bonus to me, I let a broody Light Sussex Bantam rear three chicks a few years ago, brilliant experience, I got 8 chicks about a year ago, one turned out to be a cockeral, so he went back, i miss the potential babies though, mine are also totally free range, no sign of foxes round here, gamekeepers seem to keep on top of them because of the grouse moors.

 

[Sare]

Have they been wormed? A worm burden can stop them laying

 

[Adopter]

This hen keeping is complicated! I have one who has been broody now for over a month, a second one despite all attempts is still laying soft shells, so only getting eggs from one!

So sorry to read of loss to fox, they are around my sisters lurcher caught and killed one in her garden last weekend.

Still I do like seeing hens around, and would miss them now if they were not there.