All 3 Hens Stopped Laying?

[Ursuline Chick]

Because our dogs always alert us if animals trespass into our yard. They once alerted my parents that I was in the yard at 4am. We don't have the money to buy a camera to put in the nesting boxes.

Neither do I, LOL. Thought I would ask because we have had rats get in the coop and didn't realize until one tried to run away instead of hiding when I was in there. Had to get rid of them. They would come out at dusk, sometimes I was collecting the last eggs and had not locked up coop yet. They even tried to steal a golf ball!!

 

[Kiki]

No rats.
They have oystershell, bar ale poultry feed, and scraps we give them.

Try cutting out all scraps/treats and feed only the complete feed.

Have you checked them at night with a flashlight for mites?

 

[Kiki]

I too didn't think rats were possible in my yard until I saw rat turds in my coop.
I about died that day and then immediately covered every possible rat entrance with small hardware cloth.

 

[starrmar006]

Do you have forest in your backyard? Have you checked every corner of your yard in case they are laying some were else?

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Do you have forest in your backyard? Have you checked every corner of your yard in case they are laying some were else?

We live in the city. As I keep saying, I've checked everywhere in our yard. I even checked the front yard even though they can't get there. I just came back in after searching for the 3rd time today. I almost knocked a large panel onto myself and my chickens when I tried getting under it to look.

 

[aart]

I recently cleaned up the nesting boxes and put fresh bedding in so I definitely know it's not that causing them not to lay eggs.

That could be exactly why, chickens don't like change.

They could be laying in the yard in a spot you haven't checked.

My first thought.

I can't keep them locked up because they'll kill the other young hens.

Changing the nest bedding and adding new birds will send the existing birds off to somewhere 'safer' to lay. How many 'young hens' did you add and how long ago did you add them?
Wonders if crowding is a variable here?
Dimensions and pics of coop and how many birds total might offer some clues.

You could check pelvic points to see if they are in fact laying...then you might have to figure out how to confine them...or start stalking to find that nest.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[KikiDeAnime]

That could be exactly why, chickens don't like change.

My first thought.

Changing the nest bedding and adding new birds will send the existing birds off to somewhere 'safer' to lay. How many 'young hens' did you add and how long ago did you add them?
Wonders if crowding is a variable here?
Dimensions and pics of coop and how many birds total might offer some clues.

You could check pelvic points to see if they are in fact laying...then you might have to figure out how to confine them...or start stalking to find that nest.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

We added the 3 BLR Wyandottes 7 months ago when they were old enough to go outside. I always change the bedding and never had this problem before. They actually love when I change the bedding because one will jump in there and arrange it how she wants it. 6 birds live in the same big coop. Mouse and her chicks live in a separated coop.

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

That could be exactly why, chickens don't like change.

My first thought.

Changing the nest bedding and adding new birds will send the existing birds off to somewhere 'safer' to lay. How many 'young hens' did you add and how long ago did you add them?
Wonders if crowding is a variable here?
Dimensions and pics of coop and how many birds total might offer some clues.

You could check pelvic points to see if they are in fact laying...then you might have to figure out how to confine them...or start stalking to find that nest.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

So you’re saying to leave the bedding in the coop the way it is ? There’ll be a poop fest in there, causing a rotten smell around the city she lives in, there’ll be neighbors complaining and the landlord will be knocking on her door. It’s concerning how you say to ‘not clean/refresh the bedding’

As for the OP. There are many reasons why your chickens aren’t laying, as others have posted there could be snakes or rats eating the eggs. They Could of gotten frightened or stressed out by something they might have seen e.g a fox/raccoon. Are your dogs calm around your chickens ? Stress from dogs barking and chasing them around could be the cause for them to stop laying.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

So you’re saying to leave the bedding in the coop the way it is ? There’ll be a poop fest in there, causing a rotten smell around the city she lives in, there’ll be neighbors complaining and the landlord will be knocking on her door. It’s concerning how you say to ‘not clean/refresh the bedding’

As for the OP. There are many reasons why your chickens aren’t laying, as others have posted there could be snakes or rats eating the eggs. They Could of gotten frightened or stressed out by something they might have seen e.g a fox/raccoon. Are your dogs calm around your chickens ? Stress from dogs barking and chasing them around could be the cause for them to stop laying.

The chickens don't mind the dogs that much. Only Mouse and her chicks don't like them. We don't have snakes or rats around here, our outside cat kills the mice or anything he doesn't like being around our place. We haven't a raccoon here in years and our dogs would've alerted us to it because our dog, Ruby, hates them and almost killed one once.

 

[PirateGirl]

You said they "keep them underneath"

What do you mean by this? Are your chickens sitting on their eggs and hanging out in the nest boxes? Are they possibly broody? This could cause them not to lay.