6 chickens, 3 days, No eggs.

[Gramma5]

Zero eggs out of all six of them. They went from 6 eggs a day most days to none. Can't figure it out. Today was the third day.

I haven't changed their food. Their light is on 14 hours a day and has been since the days started shortening on their own. Water available to them all day. Just BOOM. No eggs. I don't know what moulting looks like but they all look fine and would they all moult at once anyway? I checked that nothing could get into coop and get the eggs. No footprints around the coop so somebody's not stealing them. I'm lost.


Any ideas?

 

[Judy]

3 days? Did you just get them? They could easily take a week or two, maybe longer, to adjust to a new living situation, if that's what it is.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers/0_20

 

[CindaLouWho]

Maybe stress ? Did a neighbor get a new dog, or is there some unusual noise around the yard lately?

 

[Gramma5]

Nope, I've had these girls since last spring. 3 Red Sex Links and 3 white leghorns. Very reliable layers.

There are no stressors that I can see except the ridiculous change in weather. Went from freezing winter, nice spring 60's and back to freezing winter in a matter of days. We got a new dog but that was a month ago and they didn't even seem to notice. He's not interested in them and vice versa. They are pretty well insulated from the outside world. I keep them in their totally enclosed coop/run on my patio right next to the house.

They had gone down to about 3 eggs a day when the days started to shorten but I added light to the coop for a couple of extra hours and their production went right back up to 6.

I've checked them over and they seem to be in good health.

 

[jsmith2952]

I have 3 red sex links who were laying almost non-stop until about 5 weeks ago. I posted on BYC and someone mentioned moulting. I didn't think so at all--I assumed it was mites or lice or something horrible. I went and checked them all. They were all so fluffy and feathery I figured there was no way they were moulting. However, when I checked underneath the feathers, one girl was completely bald and another was covered in new pin feathers! I couldn't believe it because they otherwise looked fine!! If they're moulting, they're using their energy/protein to make new feathers instead of making eggs. Did you check them all for signs of moult?

Also, I think I read somewhere that snaps in weather can be pretty stressful on chickens...I fits not moult, maybe they're just a bit stressed because the weather can't seem to make up its mind...

Hope this helps!

 

[Gramma5]

Thank you. I'll have to look up signs of moult. I thought it would be more obvious but I'll look it up and check again. How likely is it that all 6 of them would be moulting at the same time?

 

[jsmith2952]

I don't know about that since I'm a newbie--all 3 of mine are in varying levels of moult, so I'd imagine it's possible that all 6 of yours are...hopefully someone with more chicken knowledge than me will post an answer. This is the moulting time of year, from what I've been told, so it's not unusual. One of the three hasn't laid a single egg in 5 weeks...and my egg farmer friend said she probably won't again until spring. We're in the same-ish weather zone, and i know that all this up and down with the weather has been hard on the girls. My egg farmer friend is also having trouble with his hens--many of them have stopped--even with lights. For your girls, maybe it's a combination of a bunch of things. Did you check for mites/lice? I'm guessing unlikely with the cold, but worth a check, just to rule it out.

Wish I knew more. But this is my first winter with chickens so I'm just learning! Let us know what you discover!

 

[Gramma5]

Well, my reds won't let me touch them which is weird cause they usually come running to me when I open the door. But the leghorns are definitely starting to moult. The others look fine and smooth but I'll try to look again today. No sign of lice or mites on the leghorns and I imagine if they had them, they all would.

Still no eggs but I think this mystery has been solved. Now, from what I've read, it can help them get through moulting and grow their feathers back faster with added D vitamins and some extra protein so I'll give that a try on top of their layer feed.

Thank you for your help everyone.

 

[jsmith2952]

Good luck! Mine wouldn't come near me either for a week or so. And they were very quiet (which is unusual for them). I think sunflower seeds have protein in them, and my hens eat them up--I've also had good luck with tofu and cooked eggs (cheap protein solutions!)

 

[puppies9099]

we just got 2 bantam hens they laid for 2 days and stoped why?