chickens stopped laying

[WTA]

We have around 80 chickens now that are 10 months old. 40 something of them are hens and they were laying about 50-60 eggs a day untill a couple months ago. At first we thought they were just hiding them better than usual but I also noticed them all starting to moult all at the same time so figured it was normal and they would start up again soon. We gathered up all of the hens and put them in the chicken coop for the winter about 2 weeks ago and still we are oly getting one or two eggs a day. I can't figure out what the problem is.

The coop is an old 16 foot cargo container. It has a nice wood floor, a big exhaust fan that is thermostat controlled on one end and a big window. It's not drafty at all and is actually pretty warm inside. There should be plenty of light most of the time. We've never had problems with it before like this getting eggs in the winter.
We've been cleaning it out completely twice a week and feeding them good layer pellets.
They all were wormed with something I got from the vet a few weeks ago.
I completely sterilized the coop also a couple weeks ago and dusted all the birds when I found mites on a couple young roosters outside. That was fun. I also sprayed some permetherin on the floors, every nook and cranny and outside the coop.

Anyone got any ideas what is going on with them not laying?
Thanks.

 

[JESSE1]

You're going to have to increase the light in the coop. Also increase the length of time the light stays on. Put the lights on a timer so they will have at least 12-14 hours a day.

 

[WTA]

I'll go do that. I was thinking about it already but it doesn't make sense that they had already stopped laying before I put them in. Maybe these Texas chickens are just weird. I've never had to have artificial light in there before. But that was in other states too. I'll go do it though. Thanks.

 

[Egon]

Time to switch to oatmeal for breakfast till the days get longer.

 

[mboulais]

I believe chickens go through laying cycles, ours did. THey stop for a while and start again. After the third laying cycle, I think they are pretty much done.

Are they getting enough calcium? in addition to what's in the feed, empty egg shells help.

 

[MikeD74T]

Here's some info on molting cycles, production, daylight, etc. MikeD74T
Commercial Egg Production and Processing

 

[JESSE1]

My Grandmother used to have a large chicken yard. Had all breeds but preferred the white leghorns for eggs. She always knew which chicken had stopped laying. That chicken then ended up in soup or dumplings!

I have a herd of African geese. I keep them up in a pen at night by the barn and turn them out during the day. They start laying in early spring and continue until early summer. Hard to eat a store bought chicken egg after having those goose eggs.

 

[knute_m]

It is perfectly normal for them to slow way down this time of year. Light in the evening may help some. Don't use morning light, unless you can bring the intensity up real slow. Otherwise it will startle them awake. Evening light on a timer is OK.

They'll be back to laying regular come February/March.

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto on the lamps.. chickens like a good light / dark cycle.

That said.. my chickens won't lay anythime near or after moulting.. and hardly lay during the winter.. or the hottest part of summer.

I feed layer pelets or crumbles as well.

Soundguy

 

[randy41]

my chickens quit laying a few weeks ago. my wife said we're out of eggs. but they usually start up again in january when the daylight hours get longer. i don't give them any supplemental light.