Chickens stopped laying all of a sudden

[Yanksy]

Hi!

I have 6 hens and 1 rooster. About a year old. They have been laying a lot this spring and all of,a sudden they stopped laying the past week or longer. I started giving them a lot,more,produce that we are getting from a local natural grocers. Lots of various veggies and greens. Is that probably why? They seem very healthy. Id like to continue feeding the produce scrap but if that is the reason they are not laying is there something I can do?

thanks for any help!

 

[Isadora]

Are you giving them formulated feed for chickens? That's the best thing you can be giving them when they're laying eggs, not a lot of extras like veggies.

 

[aart]

It could definitely be the change in diet @Yanksy .
Do you free range?

 

[Yanksy]

It could definitely be the change in diet @Yanksy .
Do you free range?

Ya I’m thinking they need more protein With all the fresh produce. Any suggestions on low cost/best source for protein? I’m thinking of restarting my maggot bucket for that (ew)

they free range a good amount, yes. They have a pretty large pen that I let them out of and They also jump out sometimes to range then jump back in. It’s a half free range set up, like they gotta work a little for it lol

 

[Mrs. K]

I would 100% bet you have a hidden nest. They are still laying, just somewhere else. They can be hard to find, and even if you are perfectly positive that you would see a nest, they can be pretty darn sneaky. When you have a sudden and nearly complete stopping of laying, it is almost always a hidden nest.

Earlier this spring, I knew there was a secret nest, and I looked and looked but could not find it. Go down some morning with a cup of coffee and just wait, eventually someone will need to lay and disappear.

Diet really has very limited effect on short term laying. Over years, an improper diet would tell, but not over a week. Things that will stop laying for a bit are a new coop, a bad predator attack, or a new flock.

Some people are very strict on only using commercial feed, but I think you eggs taste better when they have commercial feed and scraps.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

they free range a good amount, yes.

I would 100% bet you have a hidden nest. They are still laying, just somewhere else. They can be hard to find, and even if you are perfectly positive that you would see a nest, they can be pretty darn sneaky. When you have a sudden and nearly complete stopping of laying, it is almost always a hidden nest.

Yep, hidden nest.

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[Mrs. K]

I had an area under the nests where I thought I had blocked off, where I stored stuff. A slim 3-4 inch gap, and they were laying in the back corner of my coop. Boy were they mad when I got that truly blocked off.

Usually if you block off the secret nest, the next best nest, is where you want them to lay.

Mrs K

 

[Yanksy]

thanks for the help everybody! I did actually find a small nest somewhere else with 4 eggs. Less than expected but maybe there is another I haven’t found yet. Appreciate it!


also, I think they may be eating their eggs. I havent yet gotten laying mats and they tend to remove all the laying media I put in there, so some crack. I toss the cracked eggs in the coop for them and it seems that eating the eggs I toss in there has maybe caused them to start eating the ones from the laying boxes (oops).