Just Stopped Laying :(

[Smellen10]

Our 2 ladies have been laying daily for a little less than 2 months. We have raised them since they were chicks, now they are about 6 months old. We moved their coop from one side of the yard to the other (because a crazy neighbor thought our chickens were too loud, but it turned out to be some pesky parrots in the neighborhood), and about a week later one stopped laying. This week the 2nd stopped and now we have nothing. They have plenty of food, water, clean coop, nice sunlight, and I even play them music. We checked their feathers and no mites or bugs either. Still nada.
Is it possibly because of the move? I have also read maybe moulting ( i dont see them losing feathers)? Maybe a combo of all 3?
Does anyone have any suggestions, or is this something we are just going to have to wait out?

Thank so much!

 

[ChickensRDinos]

It could be stress from the move. Chickens can be very silly sensitive sometimes. It could also be that they are about to molt or are just starting to molt.

Have you looked around really carefully for a hidden nest? A while back I built a new coop and moved everybody and thought they stopped laying due to stress and then one day found a nest they had made themselves hidden way back behind the coop where I couldn't see or reach easily. It had a TON of eggs in it. They had been laying the whole time! I blocked off the area and shut them in for a couple of days to make them lay in the nesting boxes. They have been fine every since.

Also I have heard people in other threads mention snakes or other predators stealing eggs. Don't know if that could be a possibility for you.

 

[dukeums1]

We have had the same thing happen except we moved houses and built a whole new coop!! The first two weeks we just let them roam because the coop wasn't done and we would find two out of the three chicken eggs in some old dog houses that were left and then they moved to an old shed and now that the coop is done we only get one egg a day from our trusty red in the nest box. The other two we can't find any eggs we have searched the entire yard and can't find any eggs. I told my husband after reading the reply that we should leave them up for a couple of days because we have been only putting them up at night and letting them out in the morning.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Any change to their surroundings can cause them to quit laying. Chickens don't like change.

 

[Smellen10]

Happy Chooks, do you think if it is from the move that they will start laying again once they settle into their new spot? Its been about 2.5 weeks since the move.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Laying with new layers can be sporadic. So it's probably the combination of them adjusting to laying and the move. I'm sure they'll start back up soon. At 6 months old, they shouldn't be molting.