The hens have drastically reduced their egg-laying

[Smileycake]

We have 20 hens, 6 are two years old and the rest are almost one year old. We have been getting 10-15 eggs per day and then all of a sudden last Friday we got only one egg, the next day two eggs, and yesterday only one egg. What's going on here?

Also, another strange thing is tht we have two Americana hens and have NEVER laid a blue egg until three days ago.

I feel like something strange is going on. Doea anyone have any suggestions on why our egg production has gone down like this?

 

[scbatz33]

Have there been any changes - feed, neighbors, new birds? Maybe a disturbance - dogs, cats or other "predators" around to stress them? Maybe they are starting to molt?

 

[Country Guy John]

I barred rocks that will be 1 yr old in april and another group that will 1 yr old in july and that have all been laying anywhere from 10 - 15 egs per day. Last week I started getting only 2-4 eggs per day. The diet has been the same and no other changes. I can only guess that they are getting ready for the spring.

 

[chantecler]

I Have the same problem
12-15 eggs a day now 6 a day. No changes in setup.
Fecal negative
Healthy
I will treat for lice tonight.

I assume it's = getting ready for spring....

 

[Chickapooh23]

???? Any chance they are hiding them????

 

[Smileycake]

Thanks for all the replys. I'm assuming, although we still have a few inches of snow here in MI, that the hens are getting ready for spring and molting. I haven't seen any predator tracks in the snow around the coop, nothing has changed with their food or surroundings and I'm quite sure their not hiding their eggs. I'll have to read up on what molting is all about, since this is our first year raising hens. Thanks again!

 

[paulfy4]

i have the same worry,i have 5 girls that i got last october,and used to get 2,3 or on the odd occasion 4 eggs(xmas day and boxing day only),and then i introduced 9 new girls on 7th feb,and had 10 eggs on day one ,and then its all been downhill from there,and we now struggle to get an egg at all each day.

i am hoping they will lay again,but if anyone has any other info please let me know

chers paul

 

[HomesteadAL]

Hello, First post here. I'm kind of new the chickens, but I've read as much as I could before getting started. I bought 2 RIR in February from the woman at the feed store (I trust her), she said that this was going to be their first spring laying season. They both layed an egg in the first week, then it was nothing for a few weeks. The beginning of March they started laying 2/day, with the help of a light for about a week, then they went down to 1/day and every 4-5 days nothing. Nothing has really changed, and today I left them in the coop until after noon to make sure one wasn't hiding eggs in the yard, which I've hunted for almost every day. Is there a way to figure out which one isn't laying? That's what I think is wrong?

Thanks!

 

[subhanalah]

Hello, First post here. I'm kind of new the chickens, but I've read as much as I could before getting started.  I bought 2 RIR in February from the woman at the feed store (I trust her), she said that this was going to be their first spring laying season.  They both layed an egg in the first week, then it was nothing for a few weeks.  The beginning of March they started laying 2/day, with the help of a light for about a week, then they went down to 1/day and every 4-5 days nothing.  Nothing has really changed, and today I left them in the coop until after noon to make sure one wasn't hiding eggs in the yard, which I've hunted for almost every day.  Is there a way to figure out which one isn't laying? That's what I think is wrong?

Thanks!

rub food coloring on their vents of different colors. It will tell you which one is laying what. The eggs come pout really pretty too.
I would recommend doing it at night after they've gone to sleep for the night. They are much easier to handle and it stresses them out less.

 

[HomesteadAL]

Thanks, I guess I'll try that.
Should I buy them dinner first.