They FINALLY started laying, and then quit again

[first time farmer]

Are they molting? mine just picked up production after finishing there molt (they are plymouth rocks and new hampshire reds).

 

[Chick CJ]

If your hens were all (or almost all) laying and then stopped, there is a reason why. While bantams are known for broodiness (I personally always have one or two brooding at a time, ALL the time!), I think you would notice if they were all wanting to sit on the nest and acting crazy if you went near them! When my bantams are not brooding, they lay everyday.

I would want to know what happened to the one egg that was missing. If it's not a chicken eating the eggs, then it has to be a predator of some sort. If that is the case then they may not be laying due to the stress of whatever it is getting into the nesting boxes. Is there some way you could spy on them at night?

Cathryn

 

[mkhenderson17]

Wow, u have me stumped...sounds like everything in their environment is perfect...hum...weird/ Sorry I can not be of any help. Maybe u could invite local chicken owners over to try to get many different opinions to try to solve your problem. Good Luck and Im sorry I could not help any!

 

[Ariel301]

They are not molting. And definitely not broody!

I'm thinking the egg eater was probably either one of the chickens (I've got a few that sleep in the boxes so I think they may have accidentally broken the egg and then eaten it maybe) or our friendly backyard packrat that has taken up residence behind my goat pens. We're going to put some rat traps out for him. He's been there months though, and I'm sure he's been eating an egg now and then the whole time, I can't imagine he's eating over half a dozen every day without ever missing one or leaving evidence though.

 

[Ariel301]

Well, one chicken saved herself from the stew pot. I got an egg today from one of the Orphingtons.