Chickens not Laying since long

[Helloos]

My chicken hens cochin and other normal species are not laying since last four months whereas before that they have been regularly laying. What can be the possible reasons for that? Plz advise.

[boomer girl]

I dont know if it means anything but the local chickens in my area are not laying either. They quit laying in October here when we had a cold snap with snow and ever since they have not been hardly laying at all.

[Kerry C]

Length of day light provided. Feeding change.

[ArticunoGail]

I read somewhere that the normal laying cycle of hens and many other birds is dependant upon the amount of light they recieve: they lay mid Spring to mid Autumn and not at all in the winter. Battery or commercial laying hens are privided with artificial light to make them lay all year round, unfortunately this means the hen is often worn out as a layer between one and two years old.

ArticunoGail

[Helloos]

In fact my log book tells that the same hens had been laying last year in these months.

[ArticunoGail]

Ugh...not that then. You said it happened after a cold snap. I know some plants (flower bulbs) such as irises need a cold snap to start growing, perhaps in birds it stops them laying eggs, even most plants don't actually bloom or leaf in cold weather. As I can only now guess, I must leave any further theorising to someone who might know more.

Hope it helped.

ArticunoGail

[boomer girl]

It was me who said the chickens where I live stopping laying after a early snow storm we had. I checked with feed store near my house yesterday and they still dont have any fresh eggs to sell so I think you are right Gail about the chickens up here because they stopped right when the weather changed. Its sad because fresh eggs are so much better then the store bought ones so I now need to go to this big natural food store further away to get my fresh eggs. I think they get there eggs from chickens in the valley where it is always warmer then up here where I live. I cant blame the chickens here not wanting to lay when its so freezing cold outside.