HELP!!!!!!!!!!! ALL of my hens have stopped laying eggs!

[Myst4]

Help! All of my hens have suddenly stopped laying eggs. I have 21 chickens(including 2 roosters). A few of my hens are old and don't lay anymore, BUT my Silver Laced Wyandotte hens(6 all together),BLRW and a few other mixed breeds don't lay eggs anymore and seem to have no interest in doing so. My chickens are free range,so I thought maybe that they were laying them outside somewhere. I kept my chickens inside the coop for 5 days..and nothing. I thought maybe they were eating their eggs...
so I stayed in the coop as often as I could to catch them laying and take their egg before they had a chance to eat it....and nothing. They weren't even going in the nests! My SLW and BLRW are all young,approximately 1.5 years old. What could be wrong?! This has never happened before. They are fed scratch,laying pellets and scraps(breads,veggies,left over meats etc.). Anyone have any advice or even know what's happening? We are just feeding them and they aren't earning their keep(we don't eat them though,let them die of old age) They are very healthy and beautiful birds(even the old ones). About 6-7 of them went broody this past summer and about 5 or so molted..but that's been all done for weeks now. I don't know what to do..I need their eggs.Thanks in advance!

 

[Myst4]

regarding the no laying during the winter....mine have ALWAYS laid during the winter, in fact I get more eggs during the cold months then the warm. During the summer,they molt and go broody. I have gotten up to 20 eggs per day in the winter.

 

[Allymally]

The pic looks like they are happy enough, their combs are red which I thought were a sign of being ready to lay? Maybe they are a bit stressed with the move. Mine have only just started laying again after my broody took over the nesting box !!

 

[FatauChickens]

Hi , we have 15 chickens and just lost one 2 days ago. Not sure from what but then no eggs? We had eggs and then lost one hen and all of a sudden no more eggs? This is strange?

 

[wyoming lady]

I wanted to post even though its late, because I googled this when my chickens stopped laying eggs and I didn't get a clear answer. My neighbor told me what to do, and it worked great. I had two older hens that were infrequently laying, and about 8 others. Suddenly, no eggs except one for over two weeks! They were molting, with feathers everywhere and looking pretty unattractive. At my neighbor's direction, I added extra Oyster Shell and Salt to their diet, and I put a smooth stone that was egg shaped in each box. The next day, 2 eggs, the next day, 4 eggs with one more cracked. I was surprised, but it sure worked. Now we're back on, molting and all.

 

[TeaChick]

I'm having the exact same problem. I have 3 white leghorns and 4 gold comets and I KNOW FOR SURE that at least two of each were laying, then I had to keep them cooped b/c of a fox and now I'm down to getting only one white egg almost every day (I think we're down to five a week, if that).

I am moving them to a different coop, where they'll be getting more light. I'll keep them in there for seven nights, then let them free range again (and see if they go back in at night).

Someone said something about salt. I guess I'll look that up, unless someone wants to save me the finger work of trying to find it and just tell me what's up with salt and what to do about it.

Anyway, @ OP: Thanks for posting this, I don't feel so alone in my hens not laying. I need mine to earn their keep too and I was feeling like I must be doing something wrong in taking care of them. :\ Anyway, thank you!!!

 

[dolfi]

The short days this time of year causes birds to wait until spring to lay, Dec 21 is the shortest day of the year.  This causes the hens to not lay very often it is natural for all birds.  If you want to get them back into production put a light on a timer and feed them laying pellets or crumbles.  Time lights on at 4AM until 1 hour after daylight.   I don't know what to say about the one from Nova Scotia, Canada unless they have more hours of day light during the winter.

I have been around chickens since a child on the farm, I am now 58.
Just wanted to say I have experience.

Hi hytop3. I don't have the $to get a timer and I know I won't get up so early, can I give them light in the afternoon towards the night? And if so till what time should I do leave the light on. Thank you

 

[blackwpk]

How old are they? Hens stop laying after a while. Also, when hens go through a "traumatizing" event, such as a "best hen" leaving, they can stop laying eggs.

How old are they? Hens stop laying after a while. Also, when hens go through a "traumatizing" event, such as a "best hen" leaving, they can stop laying eggs.

Thank you for this info. I did have one of their sisters pass away a few months ago but was hoping they would get back to normal. Only one is laying right now, the other one that was laying is molting now. Oh well! I love my girls and don't care if they lay much. LOL! <3

 

[JJWHITE]

About 6 months ago a predator got one of our hens and tried to get another one who was able to get away. After that, all of my other ones stopped laying...all of the remaining 7. It happened immediately! It took about 4 months but they finally started laying again. I think it was a combination of the predator and also the fact that the one who was killed was probably the "favorite" in the group.

 

[blackwpk]

Well, at least I'm not the only one with this issue.