Hens quit laying !

[bsg]

Interesting. I grew up in the Cumberland Gap area in Tennessee, very pretty country.

Know the area also very pretty country. We live close to the TN and NC border along The Blue Ridge Parkway !

 

[analyticalblonde]

Hi, welcome to the forum.

The most common reason for hens to not be laying is the molt. At that age and especially if you are north of the equator that's not likely, but are you seeing a bunch of feathers flying around? Never say never. But the molt typically doesn't hit all of them overnight, it's more gradual. I guess that is a question, how sudden or gradual was this?

Another common reason for them to appear to have stopped laying is that they are hiding a nest on you. Two or maybe even three hens maybe, but not that many. Highly unlikely but never say never.

Has anything happened to stress them? Running out of water for a day or more, remodeling their quarters, moving them, adding or removing flock members, change of lights? Change can stress them which can affect their laying. They are especially sensitive to light, that has a direct affect on their laying. Have you recently turned off a security light or something like that?

Something may be getting your eggs. Most critters that eat them leave signs, broken egg shells or wet spots. Chickens might clean up the egg shells but they are generally not that good at it, especially that many. The only critters in North America that I'm aware of that don't typically leave signs are snakes, canines, and humans.

That's not a snake, I've dealt with them before. A snake eats a few eggs, how many depends on its size, then it disappears for a few days to digest them, then comes back for more. If it's every day it is not a snake. Besides, a 5' long black rat snake was eating 4 at a time and leaving the rest. I don't know how big a snake would have to be to eat 6 at a time.

A fox or coyote would probably be more interested in your chickens than the eggs, one of them is not likely. Dogs however will sometimes eat eggs but not bother the chickens. Do dogs have access? Since I don't know where you are I can't talk to other potential critters.

I'll let you decide if humans could be responsible.

It's possible a disease could cause that but if they are acting normal I really doubt it is a disease.

So what can you do? I don't know how you manage them, do they free range or are they confined to a coop and run? If they free range you can lock them in the coop/run for a few days. If you start seeing eggs either they are hiding a nest or you locked out an egg eater.

You can take a couple of real eggs, subtly mark them, and leave them down there. If they disappear something is getting the eggs.

Other than that I don't know. Just be patient I guess.

Good luck, this can be really frustrating.

Fantastic Post

 

[analyticalblonde]

In a 10' x10' Lot, I hope to let them free range during the day when I able to be around to watch them ..

Keep in mind, if you have Red-Tailed Hawks, they will swoop down right in front of you to snatch up a girl. I have done the same and even asked the forum if a RTH would attack if I was standing and guarding my girls so I could let them free-range and the response was a resounded, "Yes"! Some even said it happened when several people were out with their girls and it happened no more than 4 feet from them. So, now my dear hubby is busy making a portable chicken tractor so I can let them out but yet, be protected.

BTW! Welcome....welcome...welcome! You will find BYC an amazing place; it is full of very experienced people who have a palifera of knowledge. Come here often and read as musch as you can...my girls are 1 year old and I couldn't have known what to do on some very immediate needs if it was not for this place!

 

[bsg]

Thanks to All for the Welcome and the wealth of knowledge. A portable chicken tractor is a great idea, What is It lol.. I'm gonna do a little research and build Me one Thanks Again !

 

[analyticalblonde]

Thanks to All for the Welcome and the wealth of knowledge. A portable chicken tractor is a great idea, What is It lol.. I'm gonna do a little research and build Me one Thanks Again !

Hi @bsg
A chicken tractor is a portable run that can be moved around so the girls can free-range safely. My husband just got done making ours and I have put pictures of it for you to look over. We made ours quite large because I have ten girls and we wanted them to have about 10 sq ft each in the tractor...it is 9 ft wide and 12 feet long...but it is lightweight because we made it with PVC pipes and wrapped the perimeter and top with standard chicken wire fastening with zip ties

- not hard wire. My husband fashioned a handle that I can use to pull/push the tractor around and then he made tractor wheels using lumber, bolts, and 2" wide children training wheels that we got off of Amazon. They are easily slipped under the frame, they hold in place because of how my husband made them fit with the pipes while I move the tractor, then taken off so the bottom of the tractor is flush with the ground. It took him about two weekends to put together with some help from my son and me. He also made access from the top and sides with pivoting doors. He is going to make a couple of extensions next.