Help me troubleshoot... no eggs for over a month

[4Hchickymomma]

We have 12 Golden comets who started laying about 4 months ago. They were a 4-H project for my kids, layer pen for the fair. The fair was April 5-15th. During the fair, egg production slowed down, but never stopped. After they came home, we got back up to a dozen eggs a day, and now for 5 weeks we have had nothing at all. No hidden nests, no predators (cameras in the coop), They have been wormed (before fair). The only thing we did different was change their feed from layer crumble to 21% protein meat bird crumbles on the recommendation of the judge to put some weight on them. Could the feed change cause every single one of them to stop laying? They just finished that bag of feed, so we took the last bit of it, and mixed a feeder of 1/2 the meat bird crumbles and 1/2 the layer crumbles. I am just worried there is something more going on with them. I had my leg amputated April 19th, so I have not been able to get out there as easy. We have checked them for mites and lice, and found no evidence of either. There are no hidden nests, they are in a run, so nowhere they could be getting to. I am just dumbfounded and a bit worried.

 

[SueT]

Sorry to hear about your leg. ) :
The layer feed has extra calcium for shell production, the meat bird feed does not. Are you providing oyster shell on the side to supplement calcium? If not, this might be the issue....

 

[4Hchickymomma]

No, We did not know that, so we were not adding anything into it. I have calcium and grit, but was not adding it into the meat bird feed. They are back on the layer feed now. Should I be adding anything to it?

 

[SueT]

I like to offer oyster shell on the side free choice in addition to layer feed. Also limit any treats, scratch, etc so they will fill up only on what is essential for egg production.
Hopefully they will begin laying again. Good luck!!!!!