sudden stop of ALL hens laying eggs

[cindy leigh]

we have 12 hens. 10 are 18 months old, 2 are 6 months old.
The older ones molted this spring and eggs production dropped by about 2/3. Then gradually built back up.
some feathers fell out, and did not fully regrow.
Now ALL egg production of ALL hens shut off, almost overnight. Even the 6 month olds, for about 2 weeks now.
They are eating, drinking, pooping normally, bedding and nest boxes get regular cleaning, diet is laying crumbles, scratch, flax seed, oyster shell, and occasional treats.
Daytime and nighttime temps are normal.
What could be going on??

 

[chickengrandma]

Are any of them broody? We had one of five girls go "seriously" broody - trying to hatch pine bedding - and they all basically stopped laying (maybe 1 egg in week). I figured it was "sympathy-broodiness". Once the one girl stopped sitting we had 5 eggs in the nest again! It was the strangest thing.

 

[cindy leigh]

no, I've had one or two go broody at a time and everyone else kept laying. This was just like someone turned off the faucet.
And I'm wondering how long it takes them to grow their feathers back after a molt. Ours still look patchy, 4 months later.
Plus our two newest pullets did not molt, they were just babies at the time, and they have stopped laying, too. Most perplexing.

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

My egg production has dropped off and now I have several hens molting. There are feathers EVERYwhere!!! I have 11 hens of age and get 1-3 eggs a day.

 

[justtoni44]

are you sure something or someone is not taking the eggs.
Squirrels are a porblem for me.
And a thread I read some time ago.the person set up a camera and discovered thier neighbor was
stealing the eggs while they were at work.
good luck

 

[cindy leigh]

yeah, we're pretty sure. We're fairly spread out, neighbors are not extremely close, and someone is home during the day. Plus it would require more than one trip to steal them all, since they all don't lay at exactly the same time.

 

[cindy leigh]

also no broken eggs, egg shells, yolk, etc. So if all 12 were being stolen by a pradator, they'd have to get in and out of the coop, and not break or spill any.

 

[looptloop]

Weird, same thing is happening here too. I was getting 3-4 eggs a day, and one of the youngster's had just started to lay as well, now, nothing. I'll keep my eye on your thread to see what is up!

 

[tryals15]

Same thing here. DH was home today and saw nothing... should have been eggs, but none.

 

[blueseal]

my eggs have dropped way down last 3 weeks too. i have 24 laying hens and im getting 4-9 eggs a day. my oldest birds are 15 months old and the youngest a year old . the molt is on i have feathers in the coop everywhere and outside in the run too.