Egg production suddenly dropped

[booklover]

My girls are a little over a year old. I feed them a steady diet of layer.

But a couple weeks ago they just stopped laying for some reason. Where I had been getting 14-16 eggs, I now get 5 tops.

They show no signs of sickness and they aren't molting. I can't figure out why they quit and I need ideas to get them laying again.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

How many hours of daylight are they getting each day? Has there been a sudden change in weather? Have you switched their feed?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Where are you located? After the initial spring surge in egg production many hens will take breaks or slow, especially if it gets too warm.

 

[booklover]

How many hours of daylight are they getting each day? Has there been a sudden change in weather? Have you switched their feed?

They get sunlight from sunrise to sunset. No sudden changes in weather, and I haven't changed their feed.

 

[booklover]

Where are you located? After the initial spring surge in egg production many hens will take breaks or slow, especially if it gets too warm.

I live in the south so the transition from winter to spring has been pretty gradual. It had been warm for a while before they slowed.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Have they had any recent shocks, like predators lurking about?

 

[booklover]

Have they had any recent shocks, like predators lurking about?

There was a critter that got into their feed a couple nights ago, but they'd already slowed by then

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Could it have been getting in before and you just didn't realize? A large critter, or a little one?

 

[jam29]

If you free range them, it could be that they have decided to lay somewhere else other than their usual spot

 

[booklover]

Could it have been getting in before and you just didn't realize? A large critter, or a little one?

Nothing can get in the coop; it's very secure