My girls all quit laying! Help

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DDK

DDK

Hatching
9 Years
Feb 1, 2010
2
0
7
Coeur d Alene, Idaho
Ok, I've trolled around here for some time and have gotten all my questions answered and got a ton of great information. BUT now I need help. I have 4 Plymouth Rocks that have been laying since October giving 3-4 eggs total a day. But last week they all STOPPED. The weather has been warmer than usual, I have a light on a timer in the coop and they have a large area to play around in. They may have gotten mad at me because I let their coop get dirtier than usual but it has now been clean for 4-5 days. Any ideas how I can get on their good side again and get some eggs?

Thanks for the help, Daryl
 
They might be going through a mini-molt which is causing them to stop laying. Some go through one around nine months (some may go a bit earlier, like seven months). Have you seen an increase in feather loss?

BTW -
welcome-byc.gif
from your neighbor to the south!
 
make sure the are getting enough calcium and grit! I was getting like 1 egg a day for a few weeks because they weren't eating enough grit. I gave them more and problem solved:D
 
Few things to check for... feed layer feed, not just cracked corn like they locally do here & make sure they have enough calcium. Crushed oyster shells is the prefered way, although some people crush up egg shells, while others feel this causes (or certainly doesn't help) canniblism.
They may be in a mini-moult too... and it could be something is getting the eggs. Last summer I had a neighbor stealing eggs! Thanks stealth-cam and masterlock!
 
Quote:
A good layer feed should have all the calcium that they'll need, although a little free-choice oyster shell on the side can't hurt.

Have there been any sudden changes in their environment? Anything stressing them out?
 
Wow, Thanks for all the responses!

I am feeding them layer feed, The people at the feed store say that it has everything they need. I have checked around and can't find any hiding places. I live in the middle of town with a secluded yard so somebody steeling them does not make sense. When I cleaned the coop I also changed out the nesting box and it has not been messed with by them at all.

Would a mini molt happen to all 4 at the same time? There are 3 ages between them (from best I can tell).
 
Quote:
That's what the lady at our feed store told us, but I would give them access to extra calcium. Buy some crushed oyster shell and offer it in a different container. Some chickens have a higher calcium need than what layer pellets offer. If they need it, they will eat it and if they don't they'll leave it.

I'd start there. If they are all different ages, I guess I would doubt it's a mini molt. As for the stealing, it doesn't have to be a two footed predator getting the eggs, lots of wildlife, like snakes and rodents like eggs too.
 

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