ok, i'm a new member with a problem! All of my laying 14 hens have stopped laying eggs the last couple of weeks! haven't seen a brown egg in a while from any of them! their all safe and happy in a closed run and I have searched every place where they could be hiding them, but with no success. I am sure they are not eating them! Everyone looks pretty bad since they have been molting since and few weeks ago, could this be the problem? Could them molting make a huge dent in the egg laying that made it stop it all? thank you for the replys.
There are a number of reasons hens quit laying. Molting is one of the most common as long as it's molting season, such as late summer or fall. Another common reason is poor nutrition. Some folks think feeding only cracked corn or scratch grain is complete nutrition when hens need a balanced layer or flock feed with oyster shell on the side. Another reason is disease, but you'd certainly notice if your flock were all not feeling well.
