Entire flock on strike

[goodag2]

I have a flock of around 25 hens that range from 4 months old to 2 1/2 years old. At the end of summer/ beginning of fall, we would get 12-13 beautiful eggs of varying colors per day. Everything was great. Our weather started to cool down at night and of course, the days grew shorter. Feeding and watering stayed constant and the lights in the henhouse stayed on a couple of hours longer each evening. About 3 weeks ago, the egg production started to decline to about 5-6/day. About 2 weeks ago the production fell to ZERO. It has stayed at ZERO since then. Not one egg! I have looked in all of the nests for traces of broken shells or egg. Nothing. What in the heck is happening? No molting going on. No stresses that are out of the normal. No snakes. No varmints. No illness. Just no eggs. I'm in Houston, so winter weather hasn't arrived yet. How can a whole group of laying hens just "turn off" their egg laying systems all at the same time? I need some suggestions as to what could possibly be wrong.

 

[The Phantom]

Molting

 

[The Phantom]

At least that is what it sounds like.
All of mine are molting right now

 

[aart]

and the lights in the henhouse stayed on a couple of hours longer each evening.

Tell us exactly how you increased the lighting......
....literally 2 hours every day? ...for how many days?
Are you using a timer to control the lights?

Do you free range?

The older birds(over about 14 months) are probably molting.