Hens stopped laying

[ladytoysdream]

I mentioned to hubby today, that I wonder how puppy is going to react to new baby chicks this spring. I have several broody girls that will give him a lesson real quick on proper distance I set up a kennel cage that uses 6 ft panels. So it can be 6 by 6 or 12 by 6 ft. This is for day time use. Tarp the roof, and several sides to keep the sun off of them.
We move this around a lot to keep them from killing the lawn. In the evening, they go into their crate in the nursery / shed. Once they reach a certain size, they stay in the big kennel 24 / 7, until I figure they can be moved in with the big girls.

We have buff orpington, production red, delaware, several ameracauns. Some are pure and some are mixed. The rooster in my picture is the head rooster. We now have a ameracauna / easter egger. Not sure what he is, but has the green legs, pretty colors and seems to be a good bird so far.

 

[ladytoysdream]

I just backed up and read this thread from the start.

My guess is if you don't give them supplemental light, you won't see eggs until you do. We turn on one light bulb at 4 am. It stays on till late afternoon when they start getting on the roosts for night time. If it is a nice day, then it gets turned off about noon. Overcast dark dreary day, it will stay on till about 4 - 5 ish.

 

[missnu01]

I am in NE PA. You know. I wonder if it has to do with the new puppy? About 2 weeks ago I started taking him out with me to work with him getting used to the hens. I hold him on the leash while they come out of the coop. He doesn't bother them, but does bound around me. I wonder if they don't feel "safe" enough in there? Though we can't find eggs anywhere on the farm! Maybe I'll cut working with the pup for a bit? The hens seem happy other then that. Are bagged shavings ok for the nesting boxes or should I do some hay/straw? I had changed out for fresh hay and not one egg. I do have ceramic eggs in some of the boxes also.

My puppy, who is a big fella but not yet grown, actually gives chase to our chickens about once a day, and everyone who should be laying is...so I don't think that is the problem.

 

[Lisa R]

I'm having a similar problem. I have been getting 5 eggs a day out of 7 older hens. My buff orpington got an egg stuck about 3 weeks ago. A quick trip to the vet and $100 later I figured I was going to lose her. With a fair amount of poking around she passed a tissue covered egg and has regained her health but does not lay anymore. The 2 Americaunas and 2 Marans were laying an egg each everyday and so were my two ducks. Last week of March it has been warm and beautiful in Seattle and the girls all went on strike. My little banty hen who didnt lay anymore was behaving a bit off for a couple days and lost a lot of weight. We checked her and she had bugs crawling on her and her skin was yellow and nasty looking so everyone got dusted even though the other girl's skin looks great and they appeared to be pest free. This afternoon my daughter found Broody dead in the pen. Still down to one Americauna and one duck laying. Everyone else suddenly quit. They have a coop and a large pen and free time in the yard. I got worried today that they might be eating foxglove seedlings or some other toxic thing I dont know about. I know these are older birds that I adopted because of a farm foreclosure and they are used to 7 acres but I think they have adapted to suburban life since October. If any of you have any ideas I'd sure like to hear them. I am at war with the local rats but I dont use poison...and neither do my neighbors.

 

[Lisa R]

Uhmmmm never mind. We found the nest behind the straw bales...14 eggs. Sigh

 

[ellymayRans]

Ok so I have 3 1yr olds that took their normal winter molt hiatus off from laying I added supplemental lighting in late Jan and within a week were laying their regular routine a Black Austra lorp and EE daily with the Salmon Fav every other day. We went on SB last week of March and they were cooped up which normally they free range but still layed as usual. We returned Fri 3/29 and have only gotten 2 eggs since both from the EE! I haven't a clue why? ! She gets in the nest box about 3 xs today and no egg...what's up w them? ! Anyone?

 

[lynpet]

Hi.

I have read many comments on forums but still can't work out why one of my two hens has gone off lay. They are both about 14 months old and were both laying every day. One of the girls still does, but the other hasn't laid since last November. She seems healthy and well. They have a good sized coop to run around in and a large warm shed with constant access. They seem to feed well. The only odd thing i have noticed is that when i turn over some soil for them she doesn't go for the worms any more, which her companion loves.

If there was some external condition affecting her why wouldn't it affect the laying hen?

I really am baffled.

Anyone any ideas?

 

[MainStChicks]

I am new at this too. I don't have any answers for you lynpet. I was hoping to find some insight on here too. I have four red sex-links that were all laying when I got them almost a year ago. I lost one, and replaced it with another one. I think we lost her to being egg-bound. We try to worm twice a year. They are going through a worming process now, and have stopped laying. I did also notice a lot of feathers when the weather warmed up. I guess it is the wintery down feathers. Do they molt 2x a year? I give them vitamins and electrolytes in their water, along with vinegar. And they have constant access to layer pellets, shell, and a water dish even when they free range in the yard daily. I do know they are upset because we are gardening and won't let them in the gated garden. We are afraid they may tear up the seedlings. They pace at the gate. Would this stress them out enough not lay? But I take them about 2x-3x a week to the alternate compost pile to dig around in. They do get special treats when it's coop time! I try to keep it exciting for them. But all things that are good for them. My Dominant hen hardly ever touches the treats and lets the others eat. I'm OCD on their coop it gets cleaned daily. I am getting ready to do a total break down cleaning and spray for pest again. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Check other sites for a clutch of hidden eggs-- that's what I thought too and I found 14 eggs in the bushes in a really concealed nest(it was right next to their chicken yard, not far but I would have never known it was there but saw a hen come leaping out of that spot) .... Now they are off again and sadly I think they have moved their next site deep into the berry bushes....
(we have 10 Jersey Giant hens and a Roo and they just turned 1 yr old and we were getting 7- 9 eggs daily, today its back down to 2 but I have one setting on a clutch of 11 eggs in a nest box)...

 

[lynpet]

Thanks for responding folks. It seems my hen is not the only one that has stopped laying. I'm going to ask at my local chicken place (Honeybourne) to see if they have any ideas. Will post whatever they suggest.