No eggs....None!! HELP!!!!!!

[Bandit37804]

My daughter has about 25 hens of various ages. The oldest would be about 3 yrs old, the youngest about 6 1/2 months. She free-ranged them all until about 2 weeks ago. She was getting 1 or 2 eggs per week...then None! She pinned them all up in the coop area and still gets ZERO eggs per day! What is going on with her flock???? We are at a loss. She is giving them extra protein. They do not seem to be moulting....if so, it is a a very light moulting this year. Your advice is desperately needed!!!!

 

[DaisyDaesmom]

Does she have nesting boxes or areas for them to nest? If so they could be use to laying somewhere else and will take a few days to start laying somewhere new.

 

[Bandit37804]

Yes. I forgot to mention that. That is what I thought also but now that they are confined to the hen house and enclosed run....still nothing! There are not even any indentions in the shavings in the nesting boxes...doesn't look like any of the hens are even trying to lay. No eggs hidden in the hen house either!

 

[Schnayke]

What is the weather like there?
Anything new that might be scaring the whole flock?
What do you feed, how often is that feed given?
When was the last egg laid?
Anything change since then?
Possible sickness?

 

[Bandit37804]

Pretty sure she still uses layer pellets from the Co-Op. Younger ones should have begun laying about 4 weeks ago. It has been very wet here this year until last month, then hot and dryer. Temps are below normal but still around 85 - 90 during the day. Last egg was 2 months ago. Everyone seems very healthy. So, we don't know what is going on!

 

[Bandit37804]

Also forgot to mention this flock has been confined to the hen house and enclosed run for over 2 weeks now. No eggs!

 

[Schnayke]

Maybe the heat? Our birds slow down during the coldest and hottest times of the year. This is just a guess but maybe the sudden rise in temps got them off the lay for a bit. This isn't really helpful but if I was you guys I would just wait and see assuming I didn't notice anything that told me they where sick.

 

[Bullitt]

Since they have not been laying while locked in the coop and run, you might as well allow the chickens to free-range again.

That seems strange. The only thing I can think of is the older ones are molting, and the younger ones just haven't started laying yet. What breed are the 6 1/2-month-old pullets?

 

[Bandit37804]

That is what she did yesterday, turned them back out to free range. It is VERY strange! Never had this happen before.

She has been raising chicken for about 5 years now. Most of her hens are Buff Orpingtons with a few "mixed" ones thrown in from chicks raised from a couple of setting hens over the past couple of years. She still has a few Black Sexlinks but mostly Buffs.

 

[Bandit37804]

Good news! Daughter got "3" eggs today! Hope for more in the coming days. This has been a. Mystery but am now suspecting moulting as the problem. Thanks to all who responded!