Hens not laying...

tripletfeb

Livin' in the new world with an old soul 🛸🏴‍☠️3T
Premium Feather Member
5 Years
Jun 9, 2018
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The little farm, northern Ohio
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!
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!
 

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