Eviction Notice: Get Laying or Else!

[MrsAuberry00]

Ugh... one egg out of five hens for the past four days, and it's from the same hen. I know four girls who'd better start paying rent and soon! I'll take advice if anyone has it, but mostly I just posted to complain.

 

[Mace Gill]

Had they been laying normally before this?

If they had been laying, but stopped ... could be molting, broodiness, stress (heat, change of conditions, change of feed, disruption I the pecking order, etc) or some sort of disease.

Broodiness or molting ... you just gotta wait it out.
If it is a stress factor that you an change, they will start laying again.
Hopefully not disease!

 

[MrsAuberry00]

Had they been laying normally before this?

If they had been laying, but stopped ... could be molting, broodiness, stress (heat, change of conditions, change of feed, disruption I the pecking order, etc) or some sort of disease.

Broodiness or molting ... you just gotta wait it out.
If it is a stress factor that you an change, they will start laying again.
Hopefully not disease!

It's just been really hot and humid here. I've been letting them out to free range and I'm starting to wonder if they aren't laying in places other than the nesting boxes, although they've always laid there before. Who knows...darn chicken heads.

 

[aart]

Well, they're not pez dispensers .

But seriously.....not all birds lay every day.....and some can take frequent breaks, lay good for a few weeks then take a few weeks off.

Some of your birds are older and some just started, IIRC.
The older ones maybe getting ready to molt.
And the heat can definitely take a toll.

 

[junebuggena]

It's just been really hot and humid here. I've been letting them out to free range and I'm starting to wonder if they aren't laying in places other than the nesting boxes, although they've always laid there before. Who knows...darn chicken heads.

Might be a combination of hidden nests and inadequate protein intake. When it's hot, they eat less, and as a result, might not be getting enough protein to produce eggs. Keep them penned up for a few weeks and get them on a higher protein feed.