Ok, 5 laying hens, average 1 to 4 eggs a day, got 4 only one time, I mostly get 2. Thats the background. Today, No eggs AT ALL. And, when I went out there there was one hen and my banty rooster out of the chicken yard. as soon as i got them back in and started to walk away, 2 different ones jumped up on the fence. that being said, none of the escapees are my laying hens. Is it possible that they are sneaking away and laying their eggs and then hurrying back? I am an obsessive checker. I check on them or see them several and i mean several times a day, and have never found them outside of the coop and yard. I cannot tell you how disheartening it was today to get 0 eggs. Worse than the 2 weeks worth of 0 eggs when I first got them. I feel like theyve betrayed me!!!! Would even something as simple as changing from straw to pine shavings disrupt them enough to not lay? i did that last night.
Shucks, hens are female, and you ask if changing from straw to pine shavings would disrupt them? If you ever figure the fairer sex out in any species, let me know.
I'd check the other side of the fence. They might feel it's more private to lay their eggs on that side. The most PO'd chickens are ones that get disturbed on a nest.
Mahonri LOL! It is possible that they're hiding their eggs. But it could be anything. Rainy, or dark gloomy days mine don't lay nearly as many as when it's sunny. Maybe dogs went by and scared them.