Egg laying strike....its been *months*

[Sonya]

Help me! My chickens used to lay everyday. Even the female duck has stopped laying eggs. Every single one of them stopped laying at the same time and have not started laying again...and I'm serious it's been months. They are fed laying pellets that are available 24/7 and have water available 24/7 from the waterer and the swimming pool that I have in there for the ducks.

Does anyone have any sure fire ways to get hens to start laying again. They are nearly two years old now.

Sonya

 

[Delta2 23]

Well either:

a) they're all moulting at the same time
b) is it winter over there? Sometimes the chooks stop laying in winter, they are using their energy to keep out the cold

c) they have found a different place to lay in. Do you let your chickens free range? Mine have he whole garden. Well, three gardens. If they free range, they could lay anywhere. Once I found an egg under a grape vine.

Hope they start again, I love collecting eggs when I get home!

 

[william9792]

did you change the brand of feed? when they stopped? are they getting at least 14 hours of light? what could be stressing them? are you sure they are not hiding the eggs somewhere? something getting the eggs, had a nabor that was getting mine a month ago ( he just move next door and did not know they where my chickens) come on!!!!! lol ( 1/4 mile away from me he lives) and was coming though the wood as soon as it got light to get the eggs. i would think and it will come to you or someone will think of something. william

 

[Year of the Rooster]

It's also possible that maybe they are just getting old...

 

[Sonya]

Just an update on my striking birds. I think the solution to the problem was simply posting about it here. This week I was surprised to see two duck eggs in the coop (yes, there are ducks in with the chickens). I was so thrilled that *somebody* was laying eggs. The next day I found no duck eggs, but there was a beautiful brown egg waiting for me! The next day a duck egg and no chicken egg. And today I had a duck egg in the morning and a chicken egg in the afternoon. So at least one of my chickens is laying and my duck is laying again.

Thanks for your encouragement!

Sonya

 

[Emzyyy]

They might be eating their eggs, thats what mine do but I usually let them get away with it because the eggs are so small anyway from our bantams.

 

[LynneP]

It sounds as though they needed more light.
You might want to supplement next winter...