Still No Eggs, and Odd Behavior

[aisle22]

Hi,
I need some advice. I have six hens. They're about a year old, and they started laying last summer. I live in Colorado- where we do get some cold days here and there, but we've had more 50 degree days than 20 degree days over the past month. Also- we are getting 10+ hours of daylight now. So that's the background, and here's what's going on. Several weeks ago- 6-8 probably. All of my girls quit laying. AND they (or one of them) started taking all of the straw out of their nesting boxes. I've also seen one of them sleeping in the nesting box. Because I didn't want them sleeping in the boxes, and I figured they weren't laying due to daylight, I closed up the boxes for a few weeks, and this past weekend, opened them back up- gave them fresh straw, and sure enough- the next day all the straw was kicked into the coop, and no eggs.

Two friends and I got all of our hens together, we ordered sixteen of them online. The other two people that have these birds from this same flock- both have laying hens right now.

I don't see any signs of disease. They seem to be well fed, and always have water. Not sure what to do, but it's pretty puzzling. And frustrating.

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[familyfarm1]

My chickens seem to do the same thing with the nesting boxes

. I try and try to stop them but they keep on doing it. My hens are laying though. Are your hens molting?

 

[aisle22]

I don't think so- I didn't think they molted until they were age 1. These girls will be 1 at the end of the month. I haven't noticed their feathers thinning. Would they all molt and quit laying at the same exact time?

But maybe that's it- I dunno. :-(

 

[familyfarm1]

If it doesn't look like there molting then there mostly likely not, but sometimes my hens lay on and off in the winter (they never have laid a steady at until March).