Missing eggs or are they just not laying

[Rstine]

Hello chicfolks, I've got a problem.
As I've said before, Ive got about 15 hens and 2 roosters ranging in age from 3 years to 10 months. Recently the egg production slowed way down to about 1 every other day. They are not molting. Today I found a 4 foot long snakeskin nearby. How many eggs will a large snake eat? Could this be my culprit? I should be getting 12 eggs a day. Surely it couldn't eat that much? If not the snake, what else? We have 2 dogs that don't have access to the eggs but keep the grounds around them pretty well guarded. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[50-45-1]

Snakes are extreemly benificial and may have started entering your coop for mice.
I would remove any debrie inside and outside your coop. Keep the grass mowed short and shrubs removed or trimmed up to reduce the hiding places for snakes. They dont like open areas
Gather your eggs a couple times a day or as soon as possible.
Inspect your coop for cracks and holes where he is gaining entrance, and repair them.
Please dont kill the snake if you can avoid it. There are simple wire roll traps that could trap him for relocation.
I have blue racers here. I have never had them get in my coop, but one crawled up our grey water line and was in my basement once. Again he was folowing a mouse trail. We soon covered the pipe end with hardware cloth solving the problem.
Good luck!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

How many eggs you get will depend on the breed or strain of hens that you are keeping.

Many of the old timey breeds from 50 to 150 years ago are no longer bred by commercial hatching operations but are propagated mostly by or for hobby chicken breeders. Chicken breeders only concern is if the eggs they incubate are fertile. Chicken breeders do not have a reputation to uphold but they are only concerned whether their chicks arrive at your home while they are still alive.

Hatcheries on the other hand mostly cater to commercial egg and meat chicken concerns and little attention is paid to the fine points of plumage, like feathered feet, cuteness, tassels, muffs, colors, or strange combs. etc. At the end of the day none of the forgoing have anything to do with how many eggs that a hen lays or how long it takes her to lay those eggs.

If you are keeping "heritage" hens then I don't see that your egg production or lack of egg production is that unusual for October, November, December, or January.

 

[RWise]

If a snake is getting the eggs, you can put an egg or three in a minnow trap, set near the nests. The snake will find it's way in but not out.
I myself keep golf balls in the nests (1 in each), the snake will eat them, some say they die others say they puke up the GB and just dont come back, IDK which but it works for me.
Also if you are on the north side of the planet the days are growing shorter which signals the girls to shut down. This can be circumvented with lighting. (I run mine at 13.5 hours per day)

 

[aart]

They are not molting.

Many birds stop laying before the feathers start dropping.
Do you free range?

 

[Shadrach]

Egg laying for hens is governed by light level. As winter gets closer in their natural cycle they'll lay less.
It's how it's supposed to be...