Hens have completely stopped laying

[Lyricandnoah]

I have a flock of 28 chickens. 2 roosters, 5 pullets, and 21 second year laying hens (mostly sexlinks, a few barred rocks).
They were all laying perfectly until about 6 weeks ago. Egg production started steadily declining until it hit 8 eggs a day from 21 layers. We then bought oysters shells and a higher protein grower feed to mix in to their organic layer feed which has 17% protein.

Eggs kept declining. We now get exactly 0 eggs a day, it’s been 2 weeks of this. The pullets are of laying age and have not laid a single egg.

They live a very stress free life, free range, lots of treats, REALLY expensive organic feed that we’ve used for years. They are not eating the eggs, we check constantly and no one has been singing the egg song. It has not even been hot outside.

Any theories or advice is so welcome. We will need to sell them if we can’t figure out what’s going on because the feed is just too expensive. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[50-45-1]

Other posibilities would be that since they are free range they have found other nest spots they prefer. Places i have found eggs are, atop the hay stack. Under a derilict lawn mower, inside a thick pasture rose bush, under the pile of lumber, in the houses manger and in the dog house.
Also do you have fake eggs or golf balls in your nest boxes?
Have you noticed any mess in there?
Egg eating is also a possibility.
My egg production always droppes in summer due to a third going broody and everybody copping with the heat.

 

[cwelte]

Wow, this is weird because mine stopped laying as well recently.

We have 4, two black sexlinks, a Rhode Island Red, and a Barred Rock, all 3 years old. We were getting 4 eggs in April, then about a month ago a switch was flipped and we got two a day (RR and BR). Yesterday I got a very soft egg that had a “tail”, like in a Cronenberg film so last night I put out the oyster shells.

Today, zero eggs

My hens have laid in 90° heat before so I don’t think that’s it. Their coop/run/free range area is mostly shaded too. They also get diatomaceous earth every other week or so to keep the worms away.

They seem perfectly healthy- eating, drinking, pooping (lots of pooping)...this is just weird.

 

[hysop]

Wow, this is weird because mine stopped laying as well recently.

We have 4, two black sexlinks, a Rhode Island Red, and a Barred Rock, all 3 years old. We were getting 4 eggs in April, then about a month ago a switch was flipped and we got two a day (RR and BR). Yesterday I got a very soft egg that had a “tail”, like in a Cronenberg film so last night I put out the oyster shells.

Today, zero eggs

My hens have laid in 90° heat before so I don’t think that’s it. Their coop/run/free range area is mostly shaded too. They also get diatomaceous earth every other week or so to keep the worms away.

They seem perfectly healthy- eating, drinking, pooping (lots of pooping)...this is just weird.

Because they’re older now it could be possible that the heat is affecting them in ways it didn’t before.

I have 5 hens that are on their 3rd year old laying and they’ve always laid amazing and recently they stopped. But my younger hens stopped for a little due to heat and broodiness and are now back at laying awesome daily. But those older hens..not so much.

 

[aart]

Other posibilities would be that since they are free range they have found other nest spots they prefer.

Yeppers....lock 'em up!!
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[chkncrazy]

I posted a similar post!!!! Its the heat even if its just 80 it may take time adjusting... I wdnt almost 2 weeks with no eggs and they are lahing again..finally.. Be patient...I also started giving mine old bread soaked in water...

 

[hysop]

Mine have too. But mine is due to the heat. I started upping their feed and protein and have seen 1 or 2 a day. But still no where near what they laid daily.

So it hasn’t been hot at all? Or humid?

ETA: you said they free range. How big is the area where they free range?

 

[SSFowler]

I am going to follow this thread because I have been having a similar problem. Although a much smaller flock. Very erratic egg production. I also have one that her eggs seem to vary in color from time to time, they get a nice brown then it is as if they fade and are almost white, no clue why. But, I was afraid they were laying in other places but it doesn't seem to be the case. So I will follow along here to see what advice or opinions are out there.

 

[Lyricandnoah]

Mine have too. But mine is due to the heat. I started upping their feed and protein and have seen 1 or 2 a day. But still no where near what they laid daily.

So it hasn’t been hot at all? Or humid?

ETA: you said they free range. How big is the area where they free range?

Sorry to hear you’re having a similar problem! It has actually been a very mild June here. There has been a few days over 80 degrees but only for a few hours. The heat has never cause egg production to halt entirely for us even in hot August’s in years past. So confused!!

 

[hysop]

Sorry to hear you’re having a similar problem! It has actually been a very mild June here. There has been a few days over 80 degrees but only for a few hours. The heat has never cause egg production to halt entirely for us even in hot August’s in years past. So confused!!

How old are your hens? Mine have never had an issue with summer but this year they are on their 3rd year of laying and 2nd year of laying. So maybe as they grow older the heat bothers them more?

Today I got one egg so far. The past three days has been 1 egg a day out of 14 laying hens. But that’s an improvement from 0 eggs for 2-3 days straight.

Will continue to monitor them. I have been feeding them more and keeping their water cool and they have plenty of shade.