Some chickens just stopped laying eggs

[Derek712]

I'm struggling with some of my chickens so hopefully someone might be able to help. I've noticed over the past two months that my egg count has drastically taken a dive. I have 11 hens, two 4-month old pullets and one roo, so before the summer, I was averaging about 7-9 eggs a day. Now, I'm lucky to get 5 eggs a day. I'm almost positive I've narrowed it down to just two birds that have completely stopped, since they are the only blue eggers and I haven't seen a blue egg in at least two months. The rest of the fluctuation could just be the silkies since they lay half the year anyways. So assuming they are the only two with issues, I'm now trying to figure out why.

I've ruled out food since I've changed that twice now and it seems to have no effect. I also thought it could be the heat and since I live in SW FL, it's unbearably hot in the summer. I also lost a bird early in the summer to heat, so thought doubly-so that this could be the issue. But we've had great weather the past 3 weeks now and it hasn't resolved, so now I'm thinking it's something else.

I've checked for signs of bullying, but these two birds are pretty tight and are part of a foursome that grew up together and are in the middle of the pecking order.

The activity level is pretty normal with these birds, but I do notice that they often don't rush for the treats when I throw them in the run. They are pretty chill and will casually get some and call it a day. I have no idea if this is new behavior or not, just something I notice now that I am looking closely.

I've never seen either of these hens get broody. They are both just over a year old. One is a cream legbar and the other is a prarie bluebell egger. They don't appear to be molting and they "look" healthy to me.

So any advice on what else I can do?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I would question molting, even if they don't appear to be molting. There's a couple of different types of molts with one being a slow molt, which can almost be unnoticeable. I would check through their feathers for random pin feathers. (And while you're at it, check for things like mites.)

This time of year, it's common for chickens to slow down on laying. Some it's the days getting shorter, others, it's the weather getting colder and still there's others that are molting. On my birds myself, I literally got 1 egg out 18 hens yesterday. On my hens, it's everything that I listed off there, plus stress from a new rooster added and before that, Pinless Peepers for their plucking.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Agree with @Lacy Duckwing. One year my hens stopped laying in late August because of the heat, then they went into molt; about the time they got over that, the days were so short they didn't have enough daylight hours to produce. We were without eggs until late February - pert'near six months! It was the year of the Great Egg Drought!