Moulting chickens stop, or nearly stop, laying eggs. She will pick up soon. HOWEVER, there are less hours of daylight now, and you will want to supplement your chicken coop with a little artificial light - even a 25 W bulb will be sufficient - if you want to get egg production back up sooner.

Anoher thing - you didn't say how old your birds are. Like human females, hens are born with a finite number of eggs in their ovaries. When depleted humans call it menopause. When it happens to a chicken, she was usually converted into chicken and dumplin's!
Mike

I agree with Mike....also, some of my hens are taking a semi-break from laying as well...it's the time of year, and they'll pick it up again in Spring. I live in southern California so I don't feel the need to add light as it never gets all that cold or dark here. I also feel it's better not to mess with Nature when possible, and that winter egg break is built into the hens for a good reason. I've found that allowing the hens to take that break extends the years that they will lay. But that's just my two cents. :)

Hens will usually be the most productive during the first two years of life, at which time they peak and then gradually taper off laying at around age 5 or 6 if in good health.

I just had a bunch of my ladies molt like mad things, too. I'm hoping they don't know something and we aren't going to have a horrible winter....*L*

Velvet ~:>

Perhaps I worry needlessly -

The only thing, these 2 hens are the same age. True, the one in question had an earlier problem shortly after I bought her - with a case of enteritis. This seemed to clear with terramycin (as recommended by the poultry folks where she came from).

This is the only problem since then, she laid an egg a day, until moulting. I don't see any evidence of recurrent enteritis, although they are confined and the temptation to medicate prophylactically is there.

Like you, I live in So. Cal and so weather shouldn't be as much a factor. I did trim away some branches from an orange tree that was shading somewhat, but they still have lots of light.

Wurra, wurra - but hopefully, she will be laying again.

The concept of menopause also came to mind, but she is only about 2 years old, so that would seem to rule out.

Thanks folks.

Bejay

Bejay - Shouldn't that be "henopause"?

Hope she's okay and starts laying again soon.

Maggie -

LOL - I loved it! My kinda humor!

Bejay

"henopause"

hilarious!

I dunno, but mt wife tells me I'm going MENopause right now. Something about being moody....Hahahaha!

Just probably the weather. Come springtime, this will probably heal all -- or visit a sunnier climate. (better than a 40 watt bulb - I'll bet).

"L"

Bejay

Hey - just had to report back that hen #2 started laying again.

So funny - she "called" when I was nearby (that funny noise they make before laying) and I checked her - and noted that her combs and wattles were bright red. She immediately turned and went into the laying box and proceeded to roost.

Sure enuf - when I checked the box later in the day, there were 2 - where normally the last month there was only one -and she had laid the egg. Strangely, both hens are barred rocks - but this hen lays a much lighter colored brown egg than the other.

Thanks for the moral support - guess hen #2 wasn't "menopausing" after all, just resting up after the moulting session.

Bejay

Hi,
I was wondering, when hens start moulting do they stay inside all the time? My Aracuanas have started loosing their feathers and have decided they don't want to face the outdoors at the moment! Is this normal?