All of my girls have stopped laying!

[southtx]

I am very new to raising chickens so any feedback would be great. I have six RIR hens that I bought March 23. Three of the hens began laying eggs on July 19, and then we gradually had two more hens begin to lay. They have grit and oyster shell, and a high protein feed for layers. I live in south Texas and it has been over 100 with a heat index about 104-107. They have shade and open areas for a breeze. To top all of this off we just moved last weekend so the hens are adjusting to their new digs, but still no eggs. The temp has been lower for a few days due to some rain but still not one egg. I don't know what to do and would be great full for any help.

 

[chicknmania]

Wait a little longer, they might still be stressed because of the move and the heat. You can try giving them a littlle vitamin electrolyte mix for a week or so, something like VitaProB. or Aviacharge, in their water, to help them combat the stress.

 

[Percheron chick]

The stress of the move and the temps are enough to get even the most reliable egg layer to stop. Give them another week. Give them frozen treats of fruits (save the melon rinds for them) and vegetables to help beat the heat and give them more water. Just keep a ziploc bag in the freezer and toss all their scraps in there and freeze them overnight.

 

[southtx]

Thank you. Today was overcast and we got one egg! This was very exciting since they have not been laying. I have given them frozen fruit, they love it. The veggies frozen are a new idea to me. I love the ease of the Ziplock bag in the freezer. Thanks for responding.

 

[southtx]

Forgot, I have been giving them electrolytes in their water so that is good. I do think the move was stressful, hopefully we will get another egg, if not more, tomorrow. Thanks for replying, I am happy to be able to pick someone else's brain!

 

[Percheron chick]

Chickens don't need electrolytes the way some livestock do. They don't sweat so they don't lose salt and electrolytes (which are just minerals). You can get in trouble by giving them too much salt (most commercial electrolytes are 50%+ salt). If you feed a commercial layer feed, it's going to have a full vitamin and mineral package. Feed it to your horses, goats...

 

[Messipaw]

When ever I have hens coming off of a "no lay" time.I wait a week or two then give them cayenne pepper in a scrambled egg mix. Within a day we get eggs. Lol lol can't explain why or how but it works. I found a link on this site. Good luck.

 

[chicknmania]

Too much electrolytes are not good for them, you shuldn't give them the vit/ lyte mix all the time. But for occasions where they are stressed, it's ok to give it to them for a few days, up to a week or so. That's why they include it in most commercial poultry vitamin mixes.

 

[southtx]

Thanks to all of you for sharing your advice. We have had three eggs the last two days, although ugh one is very small compared to the other two so I am not sure if it is a new hen laying. Originally I only had three ofnthensix laying, but they were all about the same size. Now I am wondering if a new hen has begun to lay. The eggs have been in a new place, the eggs were in the box before the move and now two are still laying in the nesting boxes, but one in laying outside if it. I am not sure which hens are laying what and where, but I am glad that they are laying again! Thanks again, I will keep the cayenne pepper recipe in my file for later revenue. I have read about that before so you must be on to something!

 

[countryladyNH]

We are at our wits end. We have 4 very healthy buff orpington hens. They are now only about a year and a half old and have all been laying consistently since last August. Even in winter we were averaging 3 to 4 eggs A DAY, which quite suprised us since we live in cold New England.
Everything was fine this summer with the girls, each of them laying an egg most everyday, and we even had enough to sell a few dozen. Suddenly about 2 weeks ago they all stopped laying. One or at most 2 of them---(the same ones) will lay one egg every 3 or 4 days.) For the first time in almost a year I have had to BUY eggs from the store. We are worried and upset.
We can find no reason for this.
It has not been overly hot here.
They have not been moved.

Around the 1st of April we got 2 more baby chicks that were perhaps a week or so old---also orpingtons and had them in a brooder in the house. In early May we started to bring them out IN A CAGE and set the cage outside of the run where our grown hens are, so they could all get used to each other, but be apart. This was all weeks and weeks ago. They are now all out together everyday free-ranging, and the 'newbies' (who are pretty big) sleep on the perch in the coop with the others. There have been no fights other than one or 2 minor ones very early on. Mostly they kind of ignore each other---the original 4 sticking together and the 2 always together.
NONE of our chickens look or act stressed.
We don't know what to do to get them all back to laying like they always have!
All are on layer feed. We have probiotic, oatmeal, sea kelp, etc., added to it. They have water with cider vinegar and a few sprigs of oregano in it. All have full access to the food and water at all times. We have a bowl of oyster shell calcium in the run for them at all times.
They are not overweight. They get healthy treats like cabbage, watermelon, grapes, etc. and occasionally cracked corn, popcorn, and the ever popular mealworms.
Now, with June here, we also have bowls of the water all around the yard, and of course the door to their run is always open for them to get to the food, water, and nest boxes.
Sadly, no eggs...
We just don't know what to do. They all seem healthy and really happy, so WHY NO EGGS???

PS There are NO eggs hidden around, and although a couple went 'broody' this spring, we 'broke' them using the 'broody breaker cage' we keep on hand, and that was weeks and weeks ago, and no one is broody at present.