Entire Flock Stopped Laying

[gardenrue7]

Hello, everyone! We have 4 hens, just over a year old. As of Thursday evening, all 4 have stopped laying. Their behavior is normal, and they are eating and drinking. They seem happy.

The only thing that coincides with this is that we took our new chicks outside for the first time. They were separated(new chicks in a dog kennel set inside the chicken run) so that they couldn’t peck at each other, but they could see each other. The new chicks haven’t been back outside since, but will be starting that transition this week.

Could seeing the new chicks have caused my entire flock to stop laying for a few days?

 

[nuthatched]

Are they molting?

 

[gardenrue7]

Are they molting?

Nope! We haven’t seen any feather loss.

 

[Llpeters26]

Have you checked for worms? I recently found worms in poop after noticing a dramatic drop in egg production

 

[gardenrue7]

Have you checked for worms? I recently found worms in poop after noticing a dramatic drop in egg production

I have not, but I can do this today. You just check their poop, correct?

 

[Llpeters26]

Yes but I would check as early in the morning as you can since chickens will eat the worms from the poop. That’s how they spread it. I only saw worms in one chicken when I took her to the vet. Pulled her out of the kennel and she immediately made herself at home on the exam table. The vet told me to check early and he was correct

 

[nuthatched]

I have not, but I can do this today. You just check their poop, correct?

You can do a fecal float, you won't see worms in the poop until there's no room in the host.
What's their main diet? Anything spooking them at night?
Is the coop secure to rule out snakes, crows, Jay's eating the eggs?

 

[RoyalChick]

Are they free ranging? If so, search for a hidden nest.

 

[gardenrue7]

You can do a fecal float, you won't see worms in the poop until there's no room in the host.
What's their main diet? Anything spooking them at night?
Is the coop secure to rule out snakes, crows, Jay's eating the eggs?

Their main diet is Nutrena layer feed, the 17% protein formula. They’ve been on it since last fall.

To my knowledge nothing is spooking them at night. The coop is completely secure, I don’t see any way that those animals could be getting in to eat the eggs. My daughter is worried and has been checking every two hours to see if any of them have laid.

 

[gardenrue7]

Are they free ranging? If so, search for a hidden nest.

No free ranging! They’re in an enclosed run and coop setup.