Will broodies prevent other chickens from laying eggs?

I have had one broody hen for about 2 weeks now. A couple others have been broody for a few days, but have now stopped. I noticed for the last 2-3 days that there have hardly been any eggs laid. Out of 11 chickens I am collecting 2-3 a day. Is this because of the broody?

She comes out of the coop at least once a day and as far as I can tell she is eating. Is there something I should do about the broodiness or should I let it run its course?

MaLoTu said:

I have had one broody hen for about 2 weeks now. A couple others have been broody for a few days, but have now stopped. I noticed for the last 2-3 days that there have hardly been any eggs laid. Out of 11 chickens I am collecting 2-3 a day. Is this because of the broody?

She comes out of the coop at least once a day and as far as I can tell she is eating. Is there something I should do about the broodiness or should I let it run its course

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they don't make the others stop but are you sure no one is eating them and/or they aren't hiding them somewhere

MaLoTu said:

I have had one broody hen for about 2 weeks now. A couple others have been broody for a few days, but have now stopped. I noticed for the last 2-3 days that there have hardly been any eggs laid. Out of 11 chickens I am collecting 2-3 a day. Is this because of the broody?

She comes out of the coop at least once a day and as far as I can tell she is eating. Is there something I should do about the broodiness or should I let it run its course?

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Do you have enough nestboxes? When my Orpington went broody she hogged the favorite nestbox and sometimes I would find eggs in a corner, under the roosts, or outside. Like chicklover 1998 said, make sure that the others aren't laying somewhere else. A hen will eventually stop laying if she goes broody, but it does not affect the others.

chicklover 1998 said:

they don't make the others stop but are you sure no one is eating them and/or they aren't hiding them somewhere

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I am fairly certain because I don't always let them run out and about. Yesterday it was raining and they stayed in the coop/run all day. Since yesterday morning I have only collected 3 eggs.

DuckGirl77 said:

Do you have enough nestboxes? When my Orpington went broody she hogged the favorite nestbox and sometimes I would find eggs in a corner, under the roosts, or outside. Like chicklover 1998 said, make sure that the others aren't laying somewhere else. A hen will eventually stop laying if she goes broody, but it does not affect the others.

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I am pretty sure she is using the favorite nestbox. I haven't noticed them anywhere else. Every once in a while they will get laid in the run ... I will have to investigate a little better.

MaLoTu said:

I am pretty sure she is using the favorite nestbox. I haven't noticed them anywhere else. Every once in a while they will get laid in the run ... I will have to investigate a little better.

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Were they laying well before?

So, I searched the coop, run, and backyard and there are no eggs or remnants of eggs anywhere.

DuckGirl77 said:

Were they laying well before?

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Yes, I was getting 9-11 a day up until a few days ago.

You know, mine aren't laying quite as well as they were before, either, but I need to slow down on the treats! They are also getting older. How old are yours? Has anything changed that could possibly make them slow down? What do you feed them?

DuckGirl77 said:

You know, mine aren't laying quite as well as they were before, either, but I need to slow down on the treats! They are also getting older. How old are yours? Has anything changed that could possibly make them slow down? What do you feed them?

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I feed them layer pellets. I will feed them some vegetables and fruits that are about to go bad, my kids are really picky about what fruits they eat. We also give them the heels of bread and leftover pasta noodles when they are available.

My chickens are all just a bit over a year old. This is the first time I have experienced broody hens. Two of my orpingtons went broody for a few days, but it is my splash marans that has continued to be broody for a couple weeks now. I feel sorry for her and thought about getting some hatching eggs.

During the winter I was getting a similar yield. It has been cold and windy here (in the SF bay area). The weather has multiple personality disorder! For a few days it was hot like in the 90s then it dropped to the 60s, it has been raining sporadically, and the winds have been really strong and cold. Maybe it is the weather?