Two Hens Stopped Laying

[BellaBlueBell]

I have two orpington - a buff and a lavender, both are a year old and have been laying well since last fall. I did have a third, but she died suddenly about six weeks ago. Since she died, the other two have been laying very sporadically. This week, I've only gotten two eggs. They eat/drink/poop normally, although I do find black tarry stools in the run. Combs are red, eyes are clear and they are out in the run much of the day, pecking around.They get layer crumbles, grit and soldier fly larvae to eat. This morning, I bathed both in Epsom salts just in case of vent gleet - one did look a bit messy - and added vinegar to their water. Only other change has been me dropping the rabbit into the run for part of the day, but they don't seem to care much. They both spend time every day in the nesting box, but no eggs!

Any thoughts on what is going on?

 

[aart]

They both spend time every day in the nesting box, but no eggs!

How much time....are they in there at night too??

 

[Yardmom]

If they have been laying since fall they may just be taking a break. Do you have any ideas why your 3rd hen died?

 

[Sunshine009]

Most chicken keepers believe that 3 hens is a bare minimum for a mentally healthy flock. They're probably feeling a bit stressed out and unsafe just the two of them. Chickens help each other look out for danger, and the more pairs of eyes, the safer they feel. With just two, they're probably fairly stressed. I'd think about introducing 2 or 3 new hens once you've eliminated any other possibility. They sound healthy.

You may also want to consider offering free choice oyster shell to ensure their calcium uptake is good. And remember that too much protein can be bad for hens - don't overdo it with the larvae.

 

[BellaBlueBell]

If they have been laying since fall they may just be taking a break. Do you have any ideas why your 3rd hen died?

No. She was fine in the morning and in the afternoon, I found her dead in the run. She was my lap-sitter and had been sitting with me the day before. I usually check her over during that time, which I did. Nothing seemed wrong.

 

[BellaBlueBell]

Most chicken keepers believe that 3 hens is a bare minimum for a mentally healthy flock. They're probably feeling a bit stressed out and unsafe just the two of them. Chickens help each other look out for danger, and the more pairs of eyes, the safer they feel. With just two, they're probably fairly stressed. I'd think about introducing 2 or 3 new hens once you've eliminated any other possibility. They sound healthy.

You may also want to consider offering free choice oyster shell to ensure their calcium uptake is good. And remember that too much protein can be bad for hens - don't overdo it with the larvae.

I have two six week polish hens in the grow out coop next to them. I plan on integrating them, but the lavender girl has been pecking at them, so I'm taking it slow. The polish girls are still very little.

 

[BellaBlueBell]

How much time....are they in there at night too??

An hour or so during the day. At night they are on the roost. Although several nights, one was in the nesting box late - I don't know if she slept there. That was two weeks ago.

 

[SourRoses]

And remember that too much protein can be bad for hens - don't overdo it with the larvae.

Too little protein is bad for chickens. Layer feed is already quite low, usually 16%.
One would have to throw piles of worms at them to raise their overall dietary consumption from 16% past the 25% safe upper threshold.
The problem with worms / larvae and other bugs is the fat content for sedentary birds.

 

[Sunshine009]

Both too little and excess protein are problematic. Laying hens fed starter, grower, or broiler feeds often become sick because of excess protein.

Larvae are heavy in protein and fat - often, backyard farmers will create their own feed by harvesting soldier fly larvae for the protein source. If this person is doing something similar and is feeding the larvae in excess, there may be protein issues.

I'm honestly not an nutrition expert by any means, but this is what I've come to understand from various sources.

 

[SourRoses]

Laying hens fed starter, grower, or broiler feeds often become sick because of excess protein.

That is completely false. I'm not alone in feeding my whole flock Grower crumble (20%) which is nutritionally identical to the All-Flock feed most of our members choose. My birds remain healthy.
Whatever source you are drawing from is inaccurate.