Low egg production, no sign of eating own eggs...

[zowieyellowflame]

Hello, I have 17 hens and am getting 3 to 7 eggs per day for the last few weeks. I am aware of molting and it is likely some are doing that but I wonder because 7 are over a year, one is likely over two years and 9 were born last summer. Shouldn't all of the young ones be laying now? Shouldn't they be prime layers?
Also, my husband is certain they are eating them. But wouldn't I see a sign of that? Egg goo or shell pieces in the nest boxes? He thinks they would eat every last spec.

 

[Tamrajh]

I can't tell you about egg eaters, but I can tell you that when I went down to 2 eggs a day I suddenly found a skunk in the hen house. He was having quite a feast with all the eggs.

Are you sure you don't have any predators?

 

[Dora'smom]

Are you sure you don't have a snake or some other critter eating them? It doesn't take much space for something to get in and have a feast.
Are your birds free-ranging? You may have to do a thorough search of every bush and shrub if they are, and if they aren't, then search every nook and cranny in their coop and run. They will lay a clutch of eggs together in places that you would think they could never get to.
I don't know if they would eat absolutely every little bit if they were egg-eating, but it might help to gather eggs very frequently, if you are home. Removing the temptation may help. There are also suggestions here, somewhere, about gathering an egg or two, and blowing it out and carefully refilling with mustard, etc. to act as a deterrent.