3 Year Old hens haven't laid in years!!!

[McChooky]

I keep grit and calcium out for my chickens at all times(baked crushed egg shells and oyster shells)They also have access to their feeders and fresh water 24/7 .Having a coop and run both that are predator proof means I never have to lock them up at night.They also have a low wattage light on a timer that stays on past dark and is back on before daylight

 

[McChooky]

My 3 yr old 'hen only flock' (4) lay 1-2 eggs a day while my 1-2 yr olds (16) lay 8-12. Loud noises, predators and bullies affect productivity. Hybrids bred to lay more eggs will have more health problems, burn out faster and die in a couple years unlike heritage breeds that can lay until they die

 

[McChooky]

So we have one very large rooster (Unknown Breed), 6 Buff Orpington hens (2 of which are 5+ yrs old), 2 Leghorns who have just started laying, a New Hampshire Red, a Sapphire Splash, and a Barred Rock. The 4 younger Buffs are 3 years old (About to be 4 this spring), the 2 Leghorns are mature enough to lay sizeable eggs, the New Hampshire and Splash are slightly older than the Leghorns by a couple months, and the Barred Rock is slightly older than the previous 2 hens mentioned, all of these are not even a year old. The Barred Rock began laying right around the 6 month mark, and didn't stop until about two weeks ago when the Leghorns both laid on one day. Now only one Leghorn is laying an egg a day, and the rest of the flock hasn't laid any eggs in years! Please help I have tried giving them more food, scratch grain, herbal teas, and we regularly give them table scraps. They have full exposure to sunlight during the day, but it can't be sunlight because they are not laying any better at the summer solstice. I am really struggling to know what is happening because I think I should be getting more than 6 eggs a week with 11 hens!

If your chickens are locked up in a coop without proper ventilation it can cause respiratory illnesses and immune deficiencies. I would increase the air flow above their head and make sure their bedding is clean and dry. Adding heat in the winter can dry nasal passages and wet feathers causing respiratory infections. I would suspect my chickens had an long term undetected illness if they quit laying one by one until none were laying.

 

[CluckCluck_SqueakSqueak]

Your coop may be getting infiltrated by a critter like a possum, I have experienced the same possum breaking into my girls’ coop every night and eating their eggs. Are there any easy to get to spots in your coop?

 

[Rxsevenbos]

Did you end up working this out? I have a similar issue.. I have 3 chooks, two that were hatched in the same clutch. The Marans cross would lay daily or sometimes bi-daily. The Welsummer lays daily. Marans cross suddenly stopped about 4 months ago and nothing since.

They're all fed the same, free range, wormed, treated for coccidiosis incase that was the problem, they get sardines and corn as treats. Moult isn't the issue.

I'm stumped because everyone gives the same spiel about light, protein, Moult & worming... but all are good.

How can she just go from laying to not?

 

[StinkyAcres]

How can she just go from laying to not?

Yes. Internal or external injuries, stress/bullying, and hormone problems all can make a hen stop laying, sometimes for good.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Did you end up working this out? I have a similar issue.. I have 3 chooks, two that were hatched in the same clutch. The Marans cross would lay daily or sometimes bi-daily. The Welsummer lays daily. Marans cross suddenly stopped about 4 months ago and nothing since.

How old are they? Are you in the northern hemisphere? All 3 of my Marans have been lousy layers (the trade off for those darker eggs) so 2 appear done and I won't be surprised if #3 quits early too.

 

[BDutch]

I'm stumped because everyone gives the same spiel about light, protein, Moult & worming... but all are good.

How can she just go from laying to not?

How old are they? Are you in the northern hemisphere? All 3 of my Marans have been lousy layers (the trade off for those darker eggs) so 2 appear done and I won't be surprised if #3 quits early too.

Yes. Some breeds and older hens often take very long winter breaks.
I bet the Marans will start to lay later in spring.

 

[Rxsevenbos]

Yes. Internal or external injuries, stress/bullying, and hormone problems all can make a hen stop laying, sometimes for good.

And when she's had none of the above?

 

[Rxsevenbos]

How old are they? Are you in the northern hemisphere? All 3 of my Marans have been lousy layers (the trade off for those darker eggs) so 2 appear done and I won't be surprised if #3 quits early too.

I'm down in Australia, so we don't get those luscious dark eggs unfortunately.

I've had a cuckoo Marans that was fantastic layer and this girls sister is also a great layer (a friend has her, after I hatched them).

Maybe it's a genetic thing because there's nothing else I can check & vet checks are getting expensive for them to come up with no answers. Such a shame.