Hens not laying...

[tripletfeb]

Hey y'all, I have five hens that are a little over two years old. Three are SLW and two are EE. Over the winter, they didn't lay good at all, I'm talking one to two eggs a week, despite putting a light in the coop for the 14 hours. I chalked it up to winter, figured they would lay better come spring. Well, not really! I get one egg a day now! And it's usually from one chicken. The EEs have not laid in weeks! I know because they lay green eggs. I did find what looked like yolk matter in the nesting box a few times but no shells. No chicken is acting sick, no funny walking and everyone is eating and pooping good. I did hear what I swear was a crow the other day but I only have hens. My neighbor even mentioned that she heard a funny crow. They eat Nutrena Feather Fixer from when they molted, I just think they do good on it. I give oyster shell on the side. Any ideas? I want these ladies to pay rent!

 

[PDXJULES]

Could there be a hidden laying place somewhere cozy
?

 

[Tre3hugger]

If you found yolk matter it seems like you may have an egg eater. Seems unlikely they would all go off their cycle at the same time from age.

 

[tripletfeb]

They only free range in the evening when I can watch them and I checked their coop, no hidden eggs. Would they eat the shells and egg white though? I have found no broken shells, not even a small fragment. And no one has egg on their beak

 

[Tre3hugger]

They will eat 99.9999% of it, shell and all. Usually the only evidence i find is like you said, a little bit of yolky bedding. Need to really look close to find it.

 

[tripletfeb]

If that is the case, how do I prevent whoever is doing it? I can't watch them all the time

 

[Tre3hugger]

I just started gathering eggs a little more often. For me, I just have one hen that does it, and she is my worst layer, so it's not a huge issue. I only know for sure because she happened to just plop out an egg in the coop once when I was cleaning it. Bold little jerk ate it right in front of me lol.

 

[Tre3hugger]

She oddly only eats her own too, which definitely makes it a less urgent issue for me. Good luck!

 

[tripletfeb]

Thanks. I will get the eggs more often but I still don't know if thats the whole problem. She would be eating 4 eggs a day!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Thanks. I will get the eggs more often but I still don't know if thats the whole problem. She would be eating 4 eggs a day!

Or more than one are eating them...