My Chickens are not laying eggs please help!

[Ezra Kurzak]

I have 12 chickens that are only 1 year and a half old. we have had a problem for about a month now of them not laying eggs. One day recently we found a snake in our coop eating eggs. We got rid of the snake. We have found alot of egg shell in the nesting boxes recently. We do not know if they are eating the eggs or not. We also got to new 8 week old and had them close to our bigger chickens, could any of this cause them not to lay or any ideas. Thank you.



Watch this video

or youtube

 

[Pork Pie]

If you are still finding egg-shell in the nest boxes, then that suggests that they are laying, but that a critter is helping itself to the eggs

 

[Cindy in PA]

18 months is prime time for molting. Changes with the new chicks can affect them also.

 

[Ezra Kurzak]

What animal would you say it could be.