Oh dear!!

[raine]

my ex-batts haven't laid for months!! I know they have a quiet spell but they'd given up before that as well. I'm in a quandary as i really want eggs but they are looking so marvellous that i dont know what to do- any advice on encouraging my lazy lot?
ps I know fat hens dont lay but i only feed pellets and i've even taken to weighing this out!

[Suechooks]

I gave mine Poultry Spice through the winter. If they're ex-batts they may have just run out of steam.

[Glutton4...]

My Batties are now nearly three years old, and don't lay every day. Some of them probably don't actually lay at all now, but I'm not going to sit and count 30 hens in and out of the nest-boxes each day! LOL

As Sue says, maybe they've run out!

[polo]

Hi Just wondering if you have wormed them lately and what you use - or if you might have mites or lice around that could reduce their condition?

Also thinking that layers should be fed ad lib - are they getting enough?

Good luck

Polo

[motherhen]

I also agree with Polo do not weigh the food they need it there all the time and they will not get fat on layers mash or pellets, it's when people feed rice and pasta as they are charbohydrate.
Egg production needs plenty of protein in the diet, so if they are well then I would feed more pellets untill they lay, if they are free range don't forget they will stuff on other things and may not get the correct balance i.e compost heap.

[Feather]

A hen is born with all the eggs she will ever potentially lay , and in the case of hybrids, especially in a commercial setup, they lay like mad and use them up much faster than purebreeds. Before your hybrids were lucky enough to come to live with you, they were laying every day for two or even three seasons, and by now they may have come to the 'hen menopause.' (Any signs of hot flushes?) If they are in good condition, as you say, 'looking marvellous,' ie not laying soft-shelled eggs and still enjoying life, I'd say you're doing very well with them. If you want eggs, you'll need to get some point-of-lay pullets, with all their eggs ahead of them for the next two or three years.

PS (Edit When you say 'all they get is layers pellets' do you mean you don't give them any greens, or let them find greenstuff by freeranging? Some lovely Spring grass would do any hen a lot of good. Also I agree with the others, never let their feed container go empty. Hens just nibble all the time when they need it, and with old hens the continual nourishment is especially important.

[Scarlet]

I think it's a little strange that they have all stopped at the same time - I'd go with Polo, check for mites/lice and worm them if you haven't already.

[Nicos]

Mine have suddenly stopped too...about 3 weeks ago - apart from the 1 yr olds...they were all due for worming- so they are part way through their week of flubenvet.

Some of my eggs brooded by one of my gals weren't fertile either!!!!...I'm hoping it's just down to needing wormiong and not their age.
I worm mine 2x per year and they were due this April. Maybe the warmer winter has made a difference to worm load???? ( no signs in their poo though!)

[petal]

if they all stop laying at once I reckon something is stressing them. Is there a fox snooping around?