Disappearing Eggs

[jennasix]

I am new to raising chickens. My partner raised chickens as a child, but not since. We have been raising them for about a year, now, and have about 15 hens laying. We were getting about a dozen eggs a day. About three weeks ago, one of our hens began brooding. She was sitting on about six eggs, and only getting up once a day. She's one of three shamo hens that we have. After about a week, the other two hens began sitting in the nesting box with her, and often on her.

What's confusing is that the number of eggs in that nest goes up and down every day. This morning, there wasn't a single egg left in there, but the hens are still sitting. In addition to this, our daily egg yield has dropped to about six a day.

We had rats in the fall, but we put out traps and bait and also got some barn cats from a rescue who patrol the yard with dilligence.

I just don't know what's happening.

Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Jenna

 

[thebanthams]

hens can go through change like molting, weather can make them dont want to lay eggs. Did you change feed or moved them around? lists can go on ! Rats, snakes weasels skunks etc will eat eggs.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Broodies will steal eggs from each other's nests.
Or perhaps they've found another place to lay.

 

[settingdusk]

Yeah, my bet is on the eggs being laid somewhere else. Under a bush or in some little hideaway.