My flock has stopped laying

[eric71m]

I set up a house sitter to feed and water and collect eggs, same pattern as I usually do, went on vacation for 2 weeks, and have been only getting 1 egg a day for a week now. I checked with the house sitter and she collected between 9 and 13 eggs every day I was gone.

I've checked the perimeter for varmit entry or something of the like, checked their large yard, (in case they started laying outside, they not)

This is my first flock, and their age range is from 2ish years, to 9 months, mostly consisting of Araucana's and a few Welsommer's, I have 14 chickens in all... They have a very large indoor roost, and 16 nesting boxes, although they only lay in 2 or 3.

This is the first time they have all stopped laying. I have seen a few slow downs (like 2-4) eggs per day, but not this low. By the looks of the 1 egg i'm getting I would bet its from just one of them.

Anyone have any ideas for me to check, try, advise?

Thank you,

 

[jbizzle]

I am having the same problem. My hens have completely stopped laying. It has been about 3 weeks now. They are about 11 months old. They laid like crazy all fall, but all of a sudden they stopped. The weather has been fairly nice and the days are getting longer. Any advice? Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hens will start and stop laying for many different reasons. Often something like the stress of a different person taking care of them will cause a halt. Around here cold snaps will cause birds to lay less, but you don't see the drop in production until about a week later.

The best you can do is feed and water them properly, give them room and keep stress down. There's always ups and downs during the laying season, and some hens are just poor layers and will sporadically lay and quit.

 

[eric71m]

Thanks.

 

[pamspets]

Thought my hens had stopped laying but now I suspect one of them is eating the newly laid eggs. What do I do to stop this behavior?

 

[aart]

I set up a house sitter to feed and water and collect eggs, same pattern as I usually do, went on vacation for 2 weeks, and have been only getting 1 egg a day for a week now. I checked with the house sitter and she collected between 9 and 13 eggs every day I was gone.

I've checked the perimeter for varmit entry or something of the like, checked their large yard, (in case they started laying outside, they not)

This is my first flock, and their age range is from 2ish years, to 9 months, mostly consisting of Araucana's and a few Welsommer's, I have 14 chickens in all... They have a very large indoor roost, and 16 nesting boxes, although they only lay in 2 or 3.

This is the first time they have all stopped laying. I have seen a few slow downs (like 2-4) eggs per day, but not this low. By the looks of the 1 egg i'm getting I would bet its from just one of them.

Anyone have any ideas for me to check, try, advise?

Thank you,

Boy, a fine welcome home your birds gave you, huh?!

Were they confined while you were gone and now are ranging large yard?

 

[jbizzle]

Thought my hens had stopped laying but now I suspect one of them is eating the newly laid eggs. What do I do to stop this behavior?

The only thing that has worked for me is getting the eggs out as early as possible and make sure they have oyster shell. If you get the eggs out early they don't have time to get bored and mess with the eggs.