Chickens stopped laying.. help.

[nekocafe]

Hi! I have 8 hens. A few weeks ago 1 of my
chickens went broody then another 2 and finally a 4th one a week or so later. I put them in a separate area for 3 days to have them stop the broodiness and it worked. (I’ve had to do this before in the past) But during the weeks of them being broody they just sat in the favorite nesting boxes (of course) and 2 other girls stopped laying. Now I only have 2 laying hens and the other 6 aren’t laying. They free range most of the day, eat non gmo mini pellets, scratch as a treat, and filtered water. It is extremely hot right now where I live, but they stopped laying before the heat came on. How can I get them back go laying regularly again? Only thing I can think of is less free range time?

 

[jus10inla]

It takes almost a month for a broody to get back in to laying. This weather works them over good too. Nothing u can do but wait

 

[aart]

They free range most of the day

This^^^ may be the issue.

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.

 

[nekocafe]

This^^^ may be the issue.

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.

Thank you! I will try this out because I think this is what happened. I did have golf balls in the nests but just removed them because of the 4 broody girls. Can the golf balls make chickens go broody?

 

[aart]

Can the golf balls make chickens go broody?

No. Not really. Either they are broody or they aren't.
I keep fake eggs in all my nests all the time, and not all the birds go broody, tho there are a few that regularly do I don't think it's from having fake eggs.

 

[nekocafe]

Thank you! I will try this out because I think this is what happened. I did have golf balls in the nests but just removed them because of the 4 broody girls. Can the golf balls make chickens go broody?

Okay, thank you! I’ll put them back in.

 

[Clementine2022]

This^^^ may be the issue.

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.

I'm going to try this too... thank you~