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Sudden stop in laying?

Is it normal for them to have seemingly stopped completely this week? They otherwise seem fine!
The most common reason for chickens to stop laying is the molt. Some people seem to believe that every pullet on the planet will skip the molt and keep laying through their first fall/winter. Not correct. Some do but some don't.

A very common reason for chickens to apparently stop laying is that they are hiding a nest from you. They don't have to free range to hide a nest. Several people have found hidden nests in their coop or run full of eggs. They can be really sneaky about that.

Something may be getting the eggs. Many critters that eat eggs leave evidence, either eggshells or wet spots. The typical critters that take eggs without leaving evidence in Kentucky are snakes, canines, and humans. Probably not a snake this time of the year for you. A snake tends to eat eggs then disappear two or three days to digest them before they come back for more. If it is consistent it is not a snake even in good weather. A fox or coyote would probably be more interested in your chickens than the eggs so probably not them. A dog can eat eggs and not bother the pullets. Does a dog have access? A human doesn't have to be a thief, some people think this kind of thing makes for a good practical joke.

Many hens or pullets greatly cut back laying in severe weather, hot or cold. The shorter days can cause them to cut back or even stop, even if they don't molt. You are probably getting about 10 hours of daylight now. When I was in Northwest Arkansas I had days about that long and I did not use any supplemental lights. I had hens that had finished the molt and pullets that laid through the winter all laying. They did not lay as well as they did in the better laying times but most weren't that bad, still three to four eggs a week.

Sometimes changes or stress can cause them to stop laying, either temporarily or it may even start a molt. Changes can be a change to the pecking order by adding or removing chickens, a change in housing which could be moving them to a different coop or just construction in the existing coop, a predator threat or perceived predator threat, a change in lighting such as a security light outside going out, or running out of water for a day or so. It could easily be something that you know nothing about.

I don't know how long they have been "completely stopped". My guess is that several have stopped for the winter and the remainder of the missing eggs are due to one or more of the different possibilities. Maybe the rest of the winter or maybe just for a few days.

Is there any harm to them in NOT laying all winter?
I agree, absolutely not. They are recharging their system and should lay like gangbusters when they do start.
 
A very common reason for chickens to apparently stop laying is that they are hiding a nest from you
This nest was found up in a cherry tree, 4 feet off the ground. Don't just look down!!
1670782810177.png

A snake tends to eat eggs then disappear two or three days to digest them before they come back for more.
1670783103079.png

This guy was probably a frequent visitor until he got hung up on the electric...
 
Some people seem to believe that every pullet on the planet will skip the molt and keep laying through their first fall/winter. Not correct. Some do but some don't.
Thank you for saying this, because everywhere I look it is stated that chickens don't molt until their second year, and my 9 month old chickens are doing it right now to my complete surprise. And the ~15mo has never molted, just for a fun twist.

At first I thought I had a secret bully, and now there's more than one (and the pinfeathers come in right after the old ones fall out). No bullying happening, just molting.

For OP, it all started with the same question "Really, no eggs today?" in my birds.
 
I have nine girls and suddenly, this week, I haven't had a single egg. Production slowed a lot when fall set in and I went from about 5 eggs a day to 1-2 a day. Is it normal for them to have seemingly stopped completely this week? I am new to this. They otherwise seem fine!

Edit. One is not capable of laying.
They usually stop laying when days get shorter (less sun light) and colder I wouldn’t worry too much
 

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