no poop?!

[peartreehens]

So my mixed flock of a dozen hens (8 are established layers and 4 are new pullets, just starting to lay) aren't leaving piles of poop under their roosts at night . . . perhaps I should just count my blessings, but it makes me wonder. Plenty of poop in the run. Everyone acting fine and eating plenty. No one is laying much, though the littles are just getting started and most of the big girls are at some point of their molt. Thoughts? Concerns? I have sand in my coop, for what it's worth.

 

[TwoCrows]

There should be piles of poop under the roost bars first thing in the morning. If there isn't then either they are not eating enough a couple hours before roosting time or they are having issues with moving food through their intestines. (slow or sour crops, impactions in the crop or gizzard from grass, worms, etc...). Before roosting tonight, check everybody's crop. Stand over each bird, beak in front of you and run your hand down the front of the birds right breast. You should feel a full crop or semi full crop. If there is nothing in there, they could be molting, (molters don't eat a lot) they could be sick and not eating, don't have access to feed or are being run off from eating. During the winter it is cold and the darkness is long. They need food to properly get through the night.