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[susie16]

Hi, We are new chicken owners so are limited in our experience!! We have 4 hens and all 4 started to lay around 20 weeks, they are now 24 weeks old and 2 appear to have stopped laying this last week? Is this normal? please advise a novice!! Thank you, (we love our new friends!!) Ethel, Mabel, Doris and Marge!!!

[percy049]

One of mine stopped laying for a while, but check:

1) are they laying away from the nest?

2) when did you last worm them? and what with?

3) have you checked for lice?

[susie16]

The Chickens were wormed when we brought them at 18weeks along with their injections. They are kept in a pen enclosure so haven't laid else where and I can't find any lice or any other "nasty" on them!! not sure what to think! can they do this sometimes, they seem happy and healthy , eating and drinking well!

[bostock422]

I know this might be a silly thing to ask, but it is relevant, are you sure they where 20 weeks old? When I first started out with chickens I got some at 20 weeks old (I was told they where 20 weeks old), and I'm sure they stopped laying after 6 months. So their age was more like 2.5 to 3 years, but if you're new to chickens you wouldn't be able to tell how old a chicken is by looking at it.

 

But if they are 24 weeks and they've stopped laying that could be down to a number of things, illness included.

[Henergy]

Mine were bought at point of lay and have generally been good layers - about a dozen eggs from the two each week. But they have had two occasions now where they both stopped for about 5 days. I have no idea about why really but on one occassion I did change their feed for a couple of days as I had a free sample. I have to come to the comclusion that they are quite easily affected by change of any sort.

 

I also took my children on a chicken caring course & the lady there did say that over feeding can cause them to not lay - she showed me a typical days feed per chicken and it really isn't that much and that goes for treats too.

 

Check healthwise, but I suggest laying off treats & just doing pellets for a couple of days & see how you go.

 

Good luck (and often spookily simply posting here seems to get them laying as well

[susie16]

Thank you everyone for your kind help, I have my fingers crossed and will lay of any treats for a few days and see what happens! They seem so happy and healthy, it really is hard to know whats going on!!!! Will keep you posted! Sue x

[Redwing]

Pullets newly in lay often stop at random intervals initially, it takes a while to settle down