My chickens suddenly stopped laying!!??

[am040608]

We have or should I say had 9 hens. I left for about a week and the care of the hens and our one rooster was in the hands of our roommate. He has taken care of them before so that was not an issue. Upon returning we discovered that one of our hens had gone missing. We never did find her. We do live out in a country area so she may have wandered to another flock on someone else's property or very well could have been eaten. The day after I got back I noticed there were no eggs laid. Saturday marks a week of no eggs. It's bizarre. Up until last weekend we had been getting anywhere from 5 to 8 eggs per day. Now as I'm running low on stock I'm going to have to purchase eggs which makes me sorely unhappy. I have tried feeding them even extra warm oats and yogurt which always gets me extra eggs and extra produce. We do live in Washington and the climate has been cold but it has been so for a while and they have been producing fine. I am wondering if whatever happened to the missing chicken could have possibly been shocking to them and caused this? Any suggestions to get them laying again would be fantastic.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Stress will cause them to halt laying, running out of feed or especially water will really do it, so ask if your water ran dry or was frozen, and having a different caretaker can cause stress, as well as temperature changes they are living creatures and so much can factor into egg laying and it being regular.

 

[am040608]

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[am040608]

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[am040608]

Stress will cause them to halt laying, running out of feed or especially water will really do it, so ask if your water ran dry or was frozen, and having a different caretaker can cause stress, as well as temperature changes they are living creatures and so much can factor into egg laying and it being regular.

They did not run out of feed or water, he says and we have a water heater in their waterer. They also have a heat lamp at night if it drops too cold, below 20 or so. Any suggestions to get them back to laying. I asked him about the water first thing and checked it as well. I wonder if he was being dishonest and it came unplugged and he didn't want to say. Ugh. If so, they have had plenty since I've been home. Should they be okay now? I'm trying not worry myself sick.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They should be fine, give them a bit of time, they will resume.

 

[am040608]

Thank you! I keep thinking something is awfully wrong.

 

[aart]

Do you free range?
Could they be laying in their range area?

Heat lamp not needed...and that extra light could throw them off laying.

 

[am040608]

We've always had the heat lamp when it's cold and its a red lamp for night time and its never been an issue. They they are in a large fenced area and we've checked the area as well, can't find anothing. :/

 

[aart]

We've always had the heat lamp when it's cold and its a red lamp for night time and its never been an issue. They they are in a large fenced area and we've checked the area as well, can't find anothing.

How old are they and how long have you had them?