# Chickens Not Laying. Help.



## Jubjubbird (Aug 14, 2018)

Hi. I have three hens and they haven't laid for over a month and a half. I'm very frustrated. Two are about two years old and one is four years old. I've never had problems before. They look healthy. They don't have mites, they're energetic, and don't seem sick at all. They aren't molting or about to molt. I don't know what's wrong. 

It doesn't seem to be diet. They're eating a standard lay mash. I've added more protein in their diet (mealy worms) and oyster shells. I started letting them out more so they could get more sunlight and forage. Nothing is making any difference. 

I would really appreciate any suggestions you could give me.


----------



## Steinwand (Sep 23, 2017)

Maybe age could be factor or stress, they need plenty of water eggs are mainly water< Welcome to the forum


----------



## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Stress is possible but I tend to think heat, where do you live? My chickens and ducks won't lay if the heat goes on too long like it has this summer, it's been ridiculous here this summer. I get maybe 2 eggs a week out of 3 chickens and 1 egg a day from my cayuga duck and zero eggs from my khaki's. They just don't lay when it's this hot for this long.

Try keeping them really cool, spray their run with water enough to make a little mud, don't make it sloppy mud but enough for foot prints, chickens let heat out through their feet and by panting. If you keep their feet cool they are likely to be more comfortable all around. Seeing that all of your chickens have stopped laying, I would tend to think it's something benign like heat. 

Try to reduce any stress they may be having, use the mealworms as a treat only, keep giving them the oyster shell, find ways to cool them off (I'll list some ways in a minute), increase their vitamin D (dandelions and other yard weeds are loaded with it) so keep free ranging them during the cool hours of the day. Have patience and wait it out, the 4 yr old may just be done laying, their peak laying years are years 1 and 2, after that they slow down and eventually stop. 

It would be unusual for all of the chickens to be egg bound at the same time but not unheard of, watch for signs.

Ways to cool your chickens:
1. change their water frequently, as often as you can with cool water that has ice in it
2. wet down their run 
3. make sure they have shade in the run and yard
4. make sure they have water while out free ranging, leave bowls of ice water around
5. put a fan in the coop and run just make sure they can't tip it over or spill water on it
6. If they are panting and seem distressed it wouldn't hurt to stick them in some cool water, like a bath but water only deep enough to come up to their tummy/hips
7. If they are severely distressed spread their wings out so air can get under them and get the underwing area wet so the air plus the wetness will cool them

Ways to help your chickens start laying:
1. increase their vitamin D by giving them yard weeds, specifically but not limited to dandelions
2. give them free choice oyster shell
3. crush a couple of tums onto their food
4. make sure they aren't egg bound
5. reduce their stress
6. soak them in a bath (warm bath if the temperatures are cool enough that heat is not the problem)
7. use artificial light in the coop (not really recommended but it may help) the less light they have during the day, the less they lay. 

I hope something here helps. Let us know how it's going. They may start again in a few weeks. Try not to worry, my chickens have always taken some time off (a few weeks usually).


----------

