My Hens wont lay.

[Thresa]

We have 21 hens and I am only getting 5-9 eggs a day. I caught a couple eating eggs so we got a roll down nesting box. It is metal and looks very uncomfortable to me and some of them have gotten in it, but they don't seem to like it. I found three on the floor of the coop today and two in the box. We have gradually changed their feed to an organic non-GMO food and they have been eating it. Plenty of water. We have had a hawk around for a couple of weeks as well. As I write this, I'm thinking, "no wonder". What can I do to make my hens happy and comfortable so they will lay? We have new hens, two year old hens and a few that are older together.

 

[dekel18042]

We have 21 hens and I am only getting 5-9 eggs a day. I caught a couple eating eggs so we got a roll down nesting box. It is metal and looks very uncomfortable to me and some of them have gotten in it, but they don't seem to like it. I found three on the floor of the coop today and two in the box. We have gradually changed their feed to an organic non-GMO food and they have been eating it. Plenty of water. We have had a hawk around for a couple of weeks as well. As I write this, I'm thinking, "no wonder". What can I do to make my hens happy and comfortable so they will lay? We have new hens, two year old hens and a few that are older together.

There could be many reasons for a lowered egg production. What breeds are your hens? Some production birds lay for so long then slow down. Some breeds go broody. In the heat, production can slow down.
Could something be stealing the eggs or could they be laying outside where you don't find the eggs? (That just happened to me. I found a big communal nest in the flower beds by the house.)
Put on your Sherlock hat and see what solution you come up with.

 

[mamalove]

Hey guys i have about 60 laying hens and this is there 2 year laying but i am only getting about 2 or 3 eggs a day please help.

 

[chixcoop]

Hey guys i have about 60 laying hens and this is there 2 year laying but i am only getting about 2 or 3 eggs a day please help.

Your hens could be getting old and near the end of their life. Could I see a picture of all of your hens please?


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[dekel18042]

Your hens could be getting old and near the end of their life. Could I see a picture of all of your hens please?

I would certainly hope that hens in their second year of laying aren't getting old and reaching the end of their life.
More likely possibilities are if they are free ranging they have found another place to lay their eggs. Something is stealing or eating the eggs. The hens are in or nearing a molt. Are any broody and what breed are they?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Older chickens are beginning to molt, they will quit laying during this, two years old is young, mine lay most of their lives, 6-10 years.

 

[rihermandez5]

I also have 9 hens and they only average about 2/day. What could be the reason. They are about 1 year old. It has been in the high 90s the past 10 days, could that be it. 8 days ago they were averaging 7 a day

 

[mamalove]

Ok I will try to

 

[mamalove]

How do you upload pics

 

[Mutt Farm]

How do you upload pics

Here's a step by step https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-on-how-to-upload-pictures-onto-the-byc-forum