Unsecure chicken perches

[Bette+John]

My hens began to moult in July and two out of three went off lay. By September the third one stopped laying and so far none have started to lay again. How long should they stop laying? Is there anything i can do to encourage them to start again?

[Sue]

It will depend on the type of hen, and whether it is from a laying strain. What do you keep, and how old are they.

 

All the best

Sue

Dark Brown Eggs

[Powerlady]

I think they will only lay when they are ready..just making sure they are in good health etc, I believe it's all down to mother nature!

[Egluntyne]

You could give them some extra protein such as dried mealworms, unmedicated chick crumbs or rinsed tuna.

 

Have they been wormed?

[Bette+John]

You could give them some extra protein such as dried mealworms, unmedicated chick crumbs or rinsed tuna.

 

Have they been wormed?

 

Will try the protein - how often do they need worming? We only got them last December and they came into lay in January

[Sue]

Hello again -

 

You wrote -"Our hens are French Morans - dark & speckled and lay brown, large eggs when

laying! We had them last November and they began laying in January this year but

stopped in July/August."

 

I agree with all the other comments about health and feeding. It sounds as though they have just gone into their annual moult.

 

If they are from a strain which has been bred for laying a reasonable quantity of eggs and they are well looked after they may start to lay again soon - I don't know a lot about the French Marans - But from what you say about buying them in November and them not starting to lay until the days began to lengthen it seems more likely that they will wait until January again. If you can rig up some sort of lighting you may be able to fool them into thinking it is spring.

 

I keep the traditional English Cuckoo Marans and for many years now I have made a point of breeding my own strain for good laying ability as well as dark shell colour and egg size and quality, and my moulting hens are just coming back into lay and the young pullets starting to lay well, so fingers crossed for you .

 

Best of luck with them

Sue

Dark Brown Eggs