No eggs

[15185503]

Hi all,

I have 12 hens. Some are still too young to be laying, but so far about 3-4 have been laying. I typically got 2-3 eggs per day. For the past week I've gotten none. Why could they have all of sudden stopped laying? They are happy hens in my opinion, they free range all day and are cooped at night.

Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Have you checked for a hidden nest ? As the day light period shortens, production can drop and molting can occur in older birds.

 

[Beverfly]

Could they be laying elsewhere? When mine started laying and I suspected they were finding other places, I left them in their run until late afternoon for three days, and like magic egg “production” went up.

 

[Cryss]

It's molting season. You find less eggs and more feathers.
Don't worry. It's them preparing for winter by shedding old worn out feathers and growing fresh new feathers. All their energy gets used up doing this. They may or may not lay the occasional egg during this so don't stop looking for and gathered them. Production will pick up in spring.

 

[ammyg]

Hi all,

I have 12 hens. Some are still too young to be laying, but so far about 3-4 have been laying. I typically got 2-3 eggs per day. For the past week I've gotten none. Why could they have all of sudden stopped laying? They are happy hens in my opinion, they free range all day and are cooped at night.

Thanks!

When mine started to lay eggs she would always escape her pen to lay somewhere else. We found about 13 eggs in the yard. They were all huddled together. I was looking in the wrong spot for them since she never was found even close to where she was laying them. We fixed the issues and now she lays in the hen house we have for the eggs.

 

[aart]

Hi all,

I have 12 hens. Some are still too young to be laying, but so far about 3-4 have been laying. I typically got 2-3 eggs per day. For the past week I've gotten none. Why could they have all of sudden stopped laying? They are happy hens in my opinion, they free range all day and are cooped at night.

Thanks!

I'm going to assume all these birds are about 6 months old?

Chances are they are laying out in range area.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.