My chickens stopped laying eggs :( Anyone know why?

[aqhaktberry3]

Hey everyone! I live in florida and it's very hot here. I have gone from getting 5-6 eggs a day to 1 a day. I haven't changed the chickens feed or anything for that matter. Does anyone know why this might have happened? Could it be the heat?

*** 11/8/09

It has been about 7 months now with very little eggs. We bought 6 laying hens a few weeks ago. I will use the White Leghorn we bought for example. She is the only one of our chickens that lay a white egg, so we know when it is hers. When we brought her home she was laying about one egg day/every other day. Now she has nearly stopped. We are still only getting one a day. Out of at lease 20 chickens... something isn't right. It has to be something WE are doing. We have been giving them Cow Mana as a supplement, no scratch, filtered water (our well water has a lot of iron in it so we thought maybe that could have some effect) there is a light timer in the coop, and they have plenty of room. They are safe and very happy chickens. There is no way anything is getting in there and stealing them b.c we check very often through out the day. We have searched EVERYWHERE they go, they aren't hiding them. They are done molting. I'm starting to get so discouraged. What can it be???

 

[Wynette]

Most definitely, it could be the heat. or, they could need a break, they may be in molt, they could be eating eggs, or they could be hiding them. I suspect, though, that it's probably the heat. And, they do need a break now & then, too.

 

[speckledhen]

I agree with Wynette. When it's really hot and humid out, they tend to slow down.

 

[KareyABohr]

I live in Iowa where we are having REALLY UN-seasonably COLD weather. It is usually 82 here and it has been about 67. Mine stopped laying too and it is Moult. Look at their tail and wings, are the feathers short? Give them a bit and they will start again. They typically moult from the body to the tip of the wing so you will be able to "check" their progress.

 

[aqhaktberry3]

My chickens still are barely laying. I get maybe one egg a day. Any thoughts?

 

[emvickrey]

Quote:
How old are they. Different breeds start laying at different ages.

 

[BirdBrain]

Posibilities might be an egg eater in the flock, may a snake eating eggs, nest hiding, or what about thieves. Why don't you try leaving them in their coop and check on them several times a day to see if anyone has layed. If you are having someone lay elsewhere they will have to lay in the coop. Do you have rats? Do you have a padlock for the door? Do you have a dog who might have discovered how good eggs are? You don't have to answer these questions but thought they mght get you to thinking about other possibilities.

 

[Cockadoodledon't]

Quote:
All are very good points to be considered.
I laughed at the padlock on the door. May just have a neighbor that likes eggs, just doesnt like to buy them LOL!!!!

 

[aqhaktberry3]

Thank you for all the possibilities. I really appreciate it! When chickens molt how long does that usually last? It has been several months now. I'm hoping it was the heat, now that it has cooled off I'm hoping they will start up again.

 

[aqhaktberry3]

How long does it take for chickens to go through molt?