Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[3happyhens]

2 of my hens aged eighteen months or so have stopped laying. Been great layers up till the summer when they have gradually decreased production. Just a few eggs early October and only one since 18 October. What's happening? They seem perfectly happy and healthy in every other way. Have had to buy eggs for first time in years!! Seriously considering des;patching & starting again with new hens

[zakjon-98]

What breed are they? They could be moulting because it's the time for this and they stop laying to use the protein for feather growth. Have you checked them and the house for mites/lice? Have they been wormed with flubenvet? These things can stop them laying so I would check for these first. I wouldn't get rid of them as they should have some laying left in them at the age

[smartrus]

HI, mine are about the same age and did exactly what yours are doing. The only thing I noticed was a few more feathers in the run than usual. They didn't go bald or anything which I thought they did during the moult but apparently that's what it was. It took about 3 or 4 weeks before they came back into lay and although we don't get an egg each a day like we used to, it has greatly improved so we get usually 4 out of 5 eggs a day. We didn't feed them anything different, just checked for lice etc but all was fine. It is normal at this age to do this. Mine are red island cross with light sussex and known to be good layers. I'm not sure if pure breeds come back into lay so quickly or if they lay 1 a day. Hope this helps.

[daxigirl]

It's just the winter schedule. Once it gets past Christmas and the days start getting longer it won't take long to get going again. It's a tad harsh to replace them quite so soon.