Help! My chickens have stopped laying eggs!

[Yardmom]

Egg eating is often due to a shortage of something in the diet. Calcium has been mentioned, but it could be that she needs more protein or another nutrient.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Some of my hens have started to molt. That with the heat index and days are getting shorter, my 6 dz hens are laying only 18 to 22 eggs a day right now. My egg season is over. I am limiting quantity to my customers.

 

[Andypants090]

Find the beast who does this. Watch what they do during the day, put a camera up that records moving.

When you got her/it , make sure she/it stops. Maybe snakes or rats can be a possibility too? Secure all holes they can come through.

A hen who eats eggs is more difficult to stop. Things I have been reading: Replace real eggs for stone eggs in the nest after they lay. Give more calcium for harder shells. Fill a few eggs with mustard /something nasty. Give her a verdict, let her spend some time in jail to make her insecure if she returns to the flock, or choose the harsh solution : a death sentence and a last meal before she is handed over to the executioner.

Hahahha I love this thank you it gave me a really good giggle.
They do have free form calcium available as well as the 'soil' that they are in since we are an island country is full of small shells they pick at too....
I was thinking to try the mustard trick as I heard it can work in spotting the culprit. Though I am happy to report I did get 2 eggs today, one that is definitely a new hens because it was a fairy egg and quite soft, the other was one of my regular ladies!
I have been checking the coop 5times a day to make sure if there is any eggs laid I grab them but I am hopeful that maybe they went through a molt/seasonal bug and will return to normal laying soon!
Thank you all for taking the time to read and reply!

 

[Andypants090]

Egg eating is often due to a shortage of something in the diet. Calcium has been mentioned, but it could be that she needs more protein or another nutrient.

Yes I did read this on another page here, they have calcium (shells, lime stone that is locally sourced and I blend down their shells as well) they also get meat or fish 3 times per week as well as a very well balances layer feed that is locally milled (made for high temperatures)

 

[Andypants090]

Some of my hens have started to molt. That with the heat index and days are getting shorter, my 6 dz hens are laying only 18 to 22 eggs a day right now. My egg season is over. I am limiting quantity to my customers.

Yes this is really what I think it is, honestly this is the smallest flock I've had in over 5 years (usualy had about 600) and I never faced a time where I had 0% production which is why I was concerned....but we are heading into a seasonal change so it's possible they just went through their molt earlier then usual! (Here our longest days are 14.5 hours and shortest are 10.5 hours) their normal molting time is end of October as this is when there is a noticeable difference in time.....