My hens went on strike! Can anyone tell me why they stopped laying?

[Peregrine]

10 laying hens, 6-8 eggs a day, then all of a sudden--nothing! Just one egg a day, from just one hen! What is going on?!

They're not molting--we've had chickens for 4 years, and here in GA they don't molt until October/November.

The summer heat can reduce egg production, but usually it just cuts it in half--nothing this drastic! Plus, we've had an exceptionally mild summer: upper 80's instead of upper 90's. We did just have a rainy cold snap where it was in the mid. 70's for a few days, but the eggs stopped coming a few days before that, and now we're back up near 90 and still no eggs.

The flock just had a regime change, where the secondary rooster decided he wanted to be the dominant rooster. I had to split the flock into 2 separate pens. All of the laying hens are with the originally dominate rooster and have access to the nesting boxes, and the second rooster is with the younger hens not yet laying. Could the stress between the 2 roosters have something to do with it?

Could they be sick?

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[ll]

Gee so many stopped laying boards - I wonder if "they" are putting something in the feed to discourage backyard chicken keepers

But yes, any stresses could do it.

 

[cverba]

That seems awfully suspect if you had a regime change with the roos. How long has it been since they haven't laid? Are they roaming around too? Eating tomatoes?

The hens probably have to get used to the change. You've had chickens for 4 years so you might have a better idea than I.

 

[Peregrine]

It's been about 2 weeks that they haven't laid (I don't remember exactly when they stopped, because I thought they'd start up again after a few days). They are free range, and I thought maybe they were hiding their eggs, but last week I was away overnight and kept them in the coop for 2 days, and still only one egg. Are tomatoes good, or bad?

 

[Kenk124]

I would like to know if tomatoes are good or bad too been feeding mine a few too.they have oyster shell mixed in there regular layer feed too and it has been about two weeks for me too

 

[cverba]

As I understand it, some can eat tomatoes and be fine. I don't think it's a few that will hurt them, it's more having access to a full range buffet. However, myself and a few others have found that our girls won't lay much if they're eating tomatoes. I think it's due to the acidity. As soon as I put up netting around my tomatoes, a few days after, they were laying again. So the tomatoes and young age combined are suspect for me.