Entire flock abruptly stopped laying for no apparent reason, any ideas why?

[TheMommaHen13]

Our entire flock has stopped too. A mixed flock of Barred Rocks, a Dominique, Andalusians, Ameraucanas, bantams and Hamburgs. Some are around 18 months, but the younger ones are only about seven months old. A couple of the older ones are molting, so I can explain a reduction, but the younger ones just abruptly stopped, almost like, oh, the old gals aren't laying, so I'm not either. This didn't happen at all last year -- we were overrun with eggs all year long. We will occasionally get an egg from the Dominique (7 months old) and one of the Barred Rocks (18 months) but that's about once a week.

No traumatic events, no scares, feed is good, nesting boxes are good, no hidden nests, no egg eating. I heard from someone over in Chapel Hill area (about 20 minutes away) that there is a group of chicken owners that way having the same problem. Bizarre. I will have to buy eggs this week for the first time in over a year.

Any other hypotheses out there?

 

[LeighW]

Maybe try a new brand of food. I once went to buy my usual brand of food, and was told it had been recalled due to an additive being wrongly added that had stopped chooks laying . That was early last year, but I having a similar problem to you at the moment and I don't think it's the food.

 

[wlhtx]

My entire flock is on strike. We have had absolutely no eggs since SEPTEMBER! To be fair to my girls, over the past 5 months they have all molted (some pretty hard), we've had a problem with our dog harassing them, and we've moved their house (for more light, and an upgrade on living quarters/run space). So yes, they've had some disruptions... They get a pretty solid diet of laying pellets and various table scraps/veggies/etc and plenty of fresh water. They are now all fat and feathered out, happy chickens. But we have noticed that their combs are still shriveled... Anyone have any comments on how long they've seen their chickens on strike? Up until September, we had very steady production with all girls laying an egg a day or at least every other day. Flock is a mix of 2 black jersey giants, 1 RIR, 1BR, and 1 Delaware - with ages ranging between 18 months and 6-7 yrs (the RIR). Again, I'm not expecting them to be machines. I'm just curious how long this strike may continue...

 

[cmoore333]

Mine seem to have finally come off thier strike of no eggs I got one egg so far today!!! I had an issue of one of my ladies sleeping in the nesting box, so I blocked them off at night and in protest I got zero eggs for three days.... They also sent frank thier roster to chase my feet, all in all they where mad at me and now seemed to finally be getting over it..

 

[wlhtx]

Well, whadya know! Two days ago I finally decided to try the trick of putting a couple golf balls in their house and I'll be danged if we didn't get our first egg yesterday!!!! 1st egg in 5 months!!!! I believe the Delaware was the wonderful hen that broke her strike. She has always been my least favorite (too skittish), but now she's moved up to the tip of my list. Let's just see if she keeps it up and maybe convinces the others to start pulling their weight as well. (Then again, maybe yesterday was a fluke. We came home to one egg and a newborn kid from a nanny goat we had no idea was even pregnant... Weird day!)

 

[suzychri]

This happened to a flock I had several years ago. I ended up giving them away and starting over with a new batch. The owners of the ones I gave away confirm they never started laying again. They were only 2 and 3 years old.

My new batch is a year and a half old and two months ago, they stopped laying too. I have no idea why. I thought maybe it was from previous years of chickens' poop in the soil, so before I put the new batch out, I removed the top layer of soil from the coop to ensure fresh dirt, then added a layer of sand. So I'm completely stumped. I really believe I will not get another egg from them and have no clue what's wrong, much less how to fix it. Its got to be some type of disease but I can't find any information on poultry diseases that cause an entire flock to permanently stop laying. They have no problems eating the feed and fresh fruits and veggies I give them and they're vibrant and healthy looking and acting. I'm so frustrated and angry. I've raised chickens my entire life and am completely clueless as to what's wrong.

 

[cluckylady812]

I havent gotten an egg since tgabksgiving. Mixed flock, first winter, no molting, coop changes, predators, nothing. 8 hens.unlimited food, water and oyster shell, scratch as a treat. At first i thought it was a snow storm we had on the holiday, but its been in the50-60 degree range since. Ducks have a pen in the coop and have never missed a day.