Dramatic drop in laying...what gives?

[Skittleinaustin]

Today is the 6th day running with only two eggs from my one year old 7 girl flock. I was averaging 5 a day until last week for months on end. I've checked their food, water and light situation...all are good. I thought it might be that they had found a new spot in the bigger yard to lay so I kept them in their fenced run for three days...still only 2 a day. I'm not seeing any signs of illness and it appears that different girls are laying on different days as I'm getting light and dark brown eggs as well as blues.

Any thoughts? Are they having a bad case of spring fever like all the rest of us in Texas?
I had to buy eggs for the first time in 7 months...so upsetting!

 

[thasista]

Mine did that and then they lost a bunch of feathers. Could they be moulting?

 

[RWise]

I was getting 6 eggs a day, then 4 then 3, went to the feed store and picked up game bird feed (not layer feed but grower @ 32% protein) the next day (yesterday) I got 8 eggs. My pasture is suffering from winter, no bugs yet, winter grass very picked over, and we had about 5" of snow yesterday morning. Cant wait to see what I get today as I know I have 9 hens that lay, though some girls are older and dont lay every day! (but just might with the game bird feed). My girls wont touch chicken layer pellets or mash, picky picky picky,,,, but they went after this stuff!!!