Should I be concerned ???

Hi Everyone,
Lately my egg production has drastically dropped, and I'm wondering if there is reason for concern.

We have 8 hens total, 1- BO, 1- RIR, 2- PBR, 1- AUS, 1- Partridge BR, and 2- EE's.

The Partridge, and 1 PBR are both 9 months old, the rest of them are 17 months old.

Prior to the BO, (and now the Partridge), going broody,... we were consistently getting 6 to 7 eggs per day, and maybe one day a week we would get 8 eggs in a day.
When the BO went broody (4 MONTHS AGO !), naturally she stopped laying, so we were down to 5 - 6 eggs per day, with an occaisional 7 egg day.
(btw,.... our BO has FINALLY stopped brooding for about a week now, and I'm not sure if she has started to lay yet again)

Now, the Partridge Rock has been broody, for about 2 weeks.


About 4 weeks ago, the summer temps finally came to town,
and we went from mid to high 70's,... to mid 80's - low 90's.
Maybe this has something to do with it,... I don't know.

The coop is inside the large caged run, well ventilated, well shaded, dry and comfortable, cleaned every 3 or 4 days, (I have poop boards under the roosts), water/food (lay pellets) are available 24/7, and the flock free ranges the backyard almost daily.

All of them appear to be healthy, eating well, acting normally, and diet has not changed.

No other "secret" laying nests have been found anywhere around the yard/patio,...
I've looked at any and all possible places,...

(and the egg numbers don't go up any, if they are not allowed to free range for a few days either).

At about the same time we started to get temps in the 85 - 95 range,...
we dropped to only 2 - 3 eggs per day,... with nearly Zero EE eggs being laid for at least 2 weeks... and over the past 4 weeks, we have only received MAYBE, 4 or 5 EE eggs total.
(also worthy of note here, is that 2 of these EE eggs, have been soft/thin shelled, laid at night,... up on the roost,... and broken on the poop board 3 inches below the roost, due to thin/soft shells)

so as it stand now,...

I have 1 Partridge Rock broody,...
The BO broke brood 7 or 8 days ago,...

...and am still only getting 2 or 3 brown eggs per day,... (for about a month now).

Almost no EE eggs at all.
(although we DID get 1 good, EE egg yesterday,.... and it was the first one in about a week).

and here's the VERY WORST PART OF ALL...........................

We actually had to GO BUY EGGS for this weekend Breakfast !!!
OHHhhhhh,....The TRAGEDY OF IT ALL !!!

so,...
Does anyone have any ideas as to why the girls have apparently gone on strike ???

Do I need to re-negotiate their work contract ???

Should I offer them some sort of Health Benefits or Retirement Package ???

Should I maybe offer them a fun filled family outing to the Beach ?, the Movies, Disneyland ?,...
(or,.... the FRYING PAN ???)

What do you all think ???

 

No evidence or a "pillow fight",
Constant supply of fresh cool water in the shade,
No "secret laying locations".

anybody else have any ideas ?

 

OK,... It figures,....

I wait 4 weeks to see if the egg production stays low, before coming on here to ask my dumb questions,....

Then, what do I find this morning ???

6,... yes six,.... you heard that right,... S I X E G G S !.... Including 2 EE eggs !!! Woo-Hoo !! we're back in the "Tall Cotton " Now !!!

That is the first time in MANY Weeks, that I've got a decent mornings egg count, out of my 8 hens.
One of the EE eggs is slightly odd shaped, (it looks sort of like a Fat Green Torpedo),.... but I dont care,... I'm just happy the girls are doing ok. (and are keeping my breakfast coming too).

Also,
It looks like Goldie,.. the "Tenaciously - Perpetually - Broody - Buff Orpington, with a severe case of "Chicken PMS"....,(who just broke a 4 MONTH brood),...
lost her pillow fight, and has dropped golden feathers all over the place.
The funny thing about that is, to look at her,... you wouldn't really notice any missing feathers.
She still looks just as Buff, and full of Fluff, as she always does. (maybe today, she will lose alot more, and not look so full ???)

Anyway,... that answers why the egg count is down by one,... and with "Zippy" the Partridge Rock, also apparently being broody now,...
that answers the other missing piece of my breakfast.

ok Ok OK,..... it's just ONE day,.... I realize that,....

It may not happen again today,.......

but a man can hope can't he ???????


BTW,....
Would it be considered bad manners, ???,
for me to follow all the hens around today,???,
with my hands cupped together, and chanting,...

"please give,..... Please Give,.... GIMME MY EGGS NOW !!!!!" (just wondering)