Javas and egg laying

[Javafan]

Anybody owning Javas out there? I have 2, they are now about 9 mos old. Got them at about 4 mos.

They would lay about 5 eggs/week. The first one stopped laying May 17. Nothing since then. The other one has been broody 3 times since January. She has now stopped laying too (about 10 days now). My 3rd hen is a Wyandotte. She too has stopped (about the saem time as my second Java). Are they syndicated ? They are not picketing adn seem to be going about their routine.

I changed the feed (no choice) about 1 1/2 month ago and am now using : Ace Hi, Big Feeder, Laying Pellets. It is made by Star MIlling Co. I live in Southern California.

I used to feed them bread with milk 5-6 times/week and yogourt (same). I stopped as I was told that maybe they were getting fat. It has been at least 3 weeks now. They are getting the pellets, a small cup of scratch, lettuce and whatever veggies they will eat. They are not too crazy about the pellets, so maybe they are not getting enough protein. I give them only about 3 handfuls of greens on top of the cup of scratch.

Since they were destryoing my garden, I kept them on one side of the fence for a while. They could free roam on 2 sides of the house. But I pretty quickly felt too guilty so I gave up any hopes of keeping a nice garden and opened the biggger side of the garden. They have plenty of room to run, hide, scartch and eat creepy crawlers and my plants.

What I am doing wrong?

If they are lacking protein, what is a good/cheap source of protein for them?

 

[Den in Penn]

Would the stopping of the eggs coincide with the allowing into the garden? They may want to go on an egg hunt. If not that maybe parasites may be loading them down.

 

[Javafan]

Thanks for the info. Because I am new at this, I need to get things spelled out.
Do you mean they are distracted because they want to explore? They were allowed everywhere initially for about 2 months. Then I threw a fit because they were eating all my beloved plants. Kept them on one side only for about 3 weeks. The dropp could have happened then, but they did not stop at the same time. One Java stopped way before the others. There are so many factors, I am sure it is hard to pinpoint.

I am interested in the parasites thing. They had worms for a while. Gave them DE and they went away. Or at least I don't seen anything in their droppings. What should I be looking for?

 

[Den in Penn]

Not distracted from laying to explore, but finding some place else to lay their eggs
DE is not a good wormer if it works at all. It works best dry externally for a preventive. If they are not laying now would be a good time to use a stronger wormer. There are many worms you can't see with the naked eye and you can't see their eggs at all. A paler comb, eating more, if its really bad infestation lethargic behavior, and some signs of a parasitic attack. There is the possibility that they are in molt and not laying. Finding a lot of feathers around?

 

[Javafan]

I already have been looking as I read the possible reasons for not laying in the posts on this site, but haven't found any eggs.
They seem to eat as usual. Their combs seem OK, or at least I don't see any significant change in color. There is a little uneven coloring of their earlobes, where it is a little paler or whitish in the center. I don't know if it is normal or not. I am reluctant to deworm them if they don't need to. That is why I used the DE.

Sometimes Nuggets, the first Java to stop laying, and the Wyandotte (Dexter) go in the nesting boxes and seem to act as if ... but no cigar !

I have found a few feathers laying around which I did not find before. I am talking 10 or 12, not copious amounts. I found today a big black straight one. I guess it is from them as the end of the shaft is flattened. I have a lot of birds around and all the feathers I have seen so far have a round shaft all the way. Is it possible that they would start molting in June ? They are about 10 mos old.

Thanks for the hand holding.