Where did all my eggs go???!!!

[btruegs]

I had the same problem a few weeks ago, 12 hens and no eggs. Turns out that all my orphingtons are now broody and the others were laying in a nest they'd made in a bush. I collected the eggs and pulled the bush down and now eggs are back in the nesting boxes.

Hm. I haven't found any anywhere else

 

[krista74]

Any chance the neighbours could be hopping the fence and taking your eggs?

We all know how good home laid eggs can taste in comparison to store bought ones.

Might be tempting to those with no consideration for privacy and trespassing.....

- Krista

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The hens are 11 months now, and have been excellent layers.

What breeds?

I know one is an Australorp.

My first guess is they may be entering into a year molt...some of my breeds have molted at 12 months...if you've had some crazy weather lately, that might have thrown them into it a little early.

That would account for feathers and egg stoppage.

LofMc

 

[btruegs]

What breeds?

I know one is an Australorp.

My first guess is they may be entering into a year molt...some of my breeds have molted at 12 months...if you've had some crazy weather lately, that might have thrown them into it a little early.

That would account for feathers and egg stoppage.

LofMc

One new hampshire red, 3 black australorps, one dutch bantam. All hens. It has been pretty dang cold, and is suddenly starting to warm up. I have noticed that on 1, possibly 2 of the BA's have feathers starting to "shed" from their neck/head area. And these birds are twords the top of the pecking order so I don't think they are getting pecked.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

One new hampshire red, 3 black australorps, one dutch bantam. All hens. It has been pretty dang cold, and is suddenly starting to warm up. I have noticed that on 1, possibly 2 of the BA's have feathers starting to "shed" from their neck/head area. And these birds are twords the top of the pecking order so I don't think they are getting pecked.

It sounds like a weather induced molt to me, just slightly ahead of schedule as those type of breeds tend to molt at the 1 year mark.
LofMc

 

[marjwhamond]

I, too, have a few hens that quit laying. 2 Australorp and 1 Danish brown leghorn. They are 8 months old. They've been laying real well ... Until... We went away and the chicken sitter shut off the night lights. However, all our other hens are back to normal laying. These 3 have not laid a single egg and we turned the night lights back on 2 weeks ago. Do you think they will start laying again soon?

 

[enola]

I have to keep my chicken house locked. I had kids in the "trailer park" stealing my eggs when I was working second shift. My farmer neighbor noticed one of them going in the back of my barn.......

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I, too, have a few hens that quit laying. 2 Australorp and 1 Danish brown leghorn. They are 8 months old. They've been laying real well ... Until... We went away and the chicken sitter shut off the night lights. However, all our other hens are back to normal laying. These 3 have not laid a single egg and we turned the night lights back on 2 weeks ago. Do you think they will start laying again soon?

That is quite common to stop laying when the "lights go out." If it triggered a molt (very common with interrupted artificial light...that is how the commercial industries force a molt), then it will take some time for them to come back to lay. How long depends on how hard the molt which depends on the breed and even the specific bird.

It will be a few weeks for light interruption, if not 6 to 8 if a molt.

Lady of McCamley

 

[btruegs]

It sounds like a weather induced molt to me, just slightly ahead of schedule as those type of breeds tend to molt at the 1 year mark.
LofMc

Ok, good thank you

 

[btruegs]

I have to keep my chicken house locked. I had kids in the "trailer park" stealing my eggs when I was working second shift. My farmer neighbor noticed one of them going in the back of my barn.......

Ain't that nice?