My gals' aren't laying eggs

[amywander]

My gals are about 16 months old and at about 5 months they began laying regularly daily. Recently they had soft shells and they started eating the eggs. I go out to their hen house often to make sure there are no broken eggs in the nesting boxes. I haven't seen a broken egg in a week, but they are not laying as many either. They free range and I have looked for another place they may be laying eggs but found none. I don't think they are molting either. Do hens periodically take a break from laying?

 

[JekkaLynn]

If the egg shells were thin for a while first and your hand were eating them then maybe your hens need more calcium.

 

[aart]

My gals are about 16 months old and at about 5 months they began laying regularly daily. Recently they had soft shells and they started eating the eggs. I go out to their hen house often to make sure there are no broken eggs in the nesting boxes. I haven't seen a broken egg in a week, but they are not laying as many either. They free range and I have looked for another place they may be laying eggs but found none. I don't think they are molting either. Do hens periodically take a break from laying?

They can stop laying/take breaks for many reasons.
I'd lock them in the coop/run instead of free ranging for a few days and see what kind of production you get.
Sometimes they need to be occasionally 're-homed' to the coop to remind them where they should be laying.