Chickens not laying.

[krehor]

I am new to this. We have 5 chickens. They have been giving us 5 eggs a day. Yesterday we only got 2 and today we only got 1. Any ideas on why the chickens are not laying?

 

[theoldchick]

Hello! Glad to have you on board. If your chickens are acting healthy it could be a couple of things causing them to slow down. Age is one thing, diet is another. Approaching winter-the days are getting shorter which decreases egg production. Stress is another-excessive heat can cause them to stop laying. Maybe the chickens are hiding their eggs. A snake or a rat could be taking them. Or horrors of horror, the chickens are eating the eggs themselves.

So there a few things to think about. Good luck!

 

[suebee]

Chickens don't lay every day normally. Expect an egg every other day unless they are moulting, broody, sick, or other factors that theoldchick said.

 

[hatcherkid777]

Have you been treating them to bread scraps? if so it clogs their vent and slows production

 

[ShelleyN]

When does the winter molt/egg stoppage typically start?

My three 3-yr old girls (2-3 eggs a day all summer) stopped abruptly 3 days ago when unseasonal 90+ degree temps returned, but I've also seen a few feathers here and there so can't really tell what's going on. I don't think they're laying in some covert place due to the absence of the egg song. They're still being sweet and cuddly--something they weren't during the molt last year and when they were all prickly with pin feathers.

 

[hatcherkid777]

I'd feed her some dry cat food if she is molting it helps the process

 

[suebee]

My chickens can moult spring, summer, fall, or winter.

 

[donrae]

Have you been treating them to bread scraps? if so it clogs their vent and slows production

This is simply not true on so many levels. First, bread is digested just like any other food. Second, the digestive system and the reproductive system are separate. I've given birds lots of bread sometimes and not had a change in production.

 

[whittychick]

Maybe due to a Climate change?