Not getting any eggs after 4 months

[Chadco]

I am new to raising chickens, and have built my flock up to about 30 chickens, i was getting 14 to 16 eggs a day up until May and then it completly shut off. Now about 4 months later i am lucky to get 2 eggs a day. I have read about moult, but didnt think it would last this long. My oldest hen is less than 2 years old. Is this length of moult normal, or do i have something going on, they have almost an acre fenced in area to roam. They are just a mix of barnyard breeds. Any help wiil be appreciated. I need to learn something today. Thank you

 

[ChickenLover172]

If you have a mix of different breeds, stress could be an issue. Sometimes different breeds don't get along very well and pick at each other. Are any of the chickens sick or acting strange since they stopped laying? Maybe they aren't getting enough calcium in their diet, or maybe they have worms. Worms usually causes all laying to stop until the chicken is cleaned out. Worms are found in the chicken's droppings. To deworm them, put a small clove of garlic in their water (I have a 1 gallon waterer so I use a small clove), but if your waterer holds less than a gallon, I would decrease the amount of garlic you treat them with. But before you try anything, pay attention to their behavior. All of them should be perky and alert, almost always moving about and picking at things and hanging around other chickens. They shouldn't look tired, lethargic, or droopy and dull.

 

[Chadco]

They were all pretty much rasied together, they were all laying and then it stopped. I have wormedthem all with ivomec

 

[Chadco]

How do you get there calcium up?

 

[ChickenLover172]

You can buy oyster shells from any local farmer's store and give it to them free-choice. This means that you serve it to them in a separate container, and they will only eat as much as they need. Only give them small portions per day, you don't want to overload them with calcium

. Start out with a very small portion and gradually increase the portion size. This should help get them going again.

 

[ChickenLover172]

The oyster shells have to be crushed if they aren't when you buy them, but they should sell them crushed

 

[aart]

First lets see if they need more calcium...or worming(which garlic may or may not assist with).
What exactly are you feeding them?

Mixing breeds is not necessarily a cause for stress, many people have perfectly harmonious mixed flocks.
But housing/space could be an issue:
How big is their coop(feet by feet) and how many nests do you have?

I see they have a large area to roam, they might be laying out in their range area.
You may want to confine them to the coop for a few days to 're-home' them to laying in the coop nests.
It's strange that they stopped laying in May and you are just asking for advice...were you sure they were molting in May.

What climate do you live in?
Putting your location in your profile can greatly assist with people offering valid advice.

 

[Chadco]

Their coop is 10x16 with 10 nest box. I have a high fence built that they can't get over and can't find eggs anywhere.we live in west tennessee, and just assumed by reading on this site that it sounded like molt

 

[Chadco]

I always have kept oyster shell for the to have as they want it, i went out and caught a lot of the chickens today for inspection this morning, my laying hens all look and feel healthy and heavy with no mites or lice, my younger pullets were lice free but felt skinny and there brest bone seemed to stick out very far

 

[Chadco]

Also noticed the roosters no crowing much at all