My chickens aren’t laying

[SoleSurvivorChicken]

One of my hens is brooding, the other 3 aren’t laying either. The Orpington was in a nest yesterday & I collected Eggs from the past few days & cleaned all nest. She’s back inside the coop but the others are not laying. Is there anything I can do?

 

[aart]

Thank you! I have been using diatomaceous earth in the henhouse but possibly not enough. I’ll ramp it up. and try to examine them.

DE won't work to prevent or kill and infestation.
Regularly check them over real well for mites and/or lice.

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

Forgot to mention that they didn’t molt during our hot and steamy Gulf Coast summer. That surprised me.

Molting happens when the days grow shorter in their second fall/winter.

 

[aart]

I am having that same issue. I have 11 hens and four ducks. My ducks continue to lay daily, but almost all of my hens are not laying. Maybe one day. Yes, some are molting but the majority of them are not. Any suggestions? I am feeding them an all flock feed and they have plenty of space to roam.

Eggs often stop before feathers start flying.

If they free range, might be time for an exam:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Then maybe confinement:
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[21hens-incharge]

DE has not been proven to treat mites or lice.
It is however very irritating to the lungs. I don't recommend using it.

 

[nuthatched]

If a hen is brooding, she's not laying.
We need more details.
Are they molting? Do they free range or could have a secret nest? Can crows/ravens get into the coop? What do you feed them? Are they laying their eggs in the broody nest?

 

[aart]

But...havscanyone ever had a grown roo do a hen impersonation?

The 'alarm call' sounds much like the 'egg song', can be hard to differentiate.
even if we don't see a predator, they often can.

Yes, I have heard the cock/erel joining in on the 'egg song' celebration.
First time I heard it, just days after getting my first flock, there was a raucous cacophony issuing from the coop, I was sure something was killing all my chickens so went storming down to the coop to find the cock standing on the roost just belting away along with most the females and a warm egg in a nest.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Other than being broody, molting, shortening daylight hours, hidden nests, laying in broody nest, and possible feed issues mites and or lice can stop egg laying.

A really good exam and checking them as aart posted is a really good idea.

We have a lot of migrating birds going through and they often bring unwanted pests with them.

 

[Swirls76]

I am having that same issue. I have 11 hens and four ducks. My ducks continue to lay daily, but almost all of my hens are not laying. Maybe one day. Yes, some are molting but the majority of them are not. Any suggestions? I am feeding them an all flock feed and they have plenty of space to roam.

 

[Knellie]

My girlscstopped laying when summer heat hit-I expected that but now winter is almost here and they still aren’t. But what is weird is that every day I hear very loud and proud cackles that sound like they have just laid a solid gold world champion egg, When I go to check, nada. So I started dropping what I was doing, thinking that if acpredator was stealing the eggs, I could best him to them and figure out how to eliminate him later.

Still no cackleberry!

It’s not diet or lack of space or light (I turn light on to be sure they get minimum of 12 hours. Never did really think it was a predator. No sign at all - no broken eggs, no tracks, no disturbed sounds or other signs of distress from the flock.

Could the cackles be from my roo? I caught him cackling when he was still very young but now he crows and acts very rooish in every way. But...havscanyone ever had a grown roo do a hen impersonation? Here’s my guy at maybe 10 weeks or so; very large bird.

While we’re at it, anyone have an idea of his breed?

 

[Knellie]

The 'alarm call' sounds much like the 'egg song', can be hard to differentiate.
even if we don't see a predator, they often can.

Yes, I have heard the cock/erel joining in on the 'egg song' celebration.
First time I heard it, just days after getting my first flock, there was a raucous cacophony issuing from the coop, I was sure something was killing all my chickens so went storming down to the coop to find the cock standing on the roost just belting away along with most the females and a warm egg in a nest.

Thank you! Interesting and funny and helpful.

BTW please pardon my typos; can’t figure out how to edit — will check out the help threads.