So, for those of you with lots of wisdom and
experience:
Does anyone have experience with
chickens not laying because of dry weather? My 4 14-month hens are down to about an egg a day between them all (they were all laying daily a month ago), and I wondered if it's possibly because it's the dry season? In Western Oregon, it's rainy all winter/spring, then it just stops and is bone dry 'til October. Much of the grass is brown, bugs are probably rarer. Would the dry season make
chickens stop laying if they still have access to plenty of food,
water, etc.?
I don't think extreme heat is the problem; we usually have highs of between 70 and 85 degrees, which seems to be within the comfortable range for
chickens (from what I've read). They have been scratching and running around like normal, not panting or lethargic or constantly seeking shade.
Sorry if this is a dumb question - this is my first mature flock to keep through an Oregon summer, so I'm still trying to figure out what's normal here.