why are my chickens not making any eggs?

[theo corpodean]

hi all, i have got 15 chickens, when we bought them they all made eggs, but now only three make eggs, the are about 6 months old.
this morning i went to go give them food and there where only three eggs, so i said i will leave the eggs for another hour to see what happens, when i get back to pick up the eggs, one of them are gone.
i put my hands every where and nothing one of the three eggs where gone.
i dont know whats happening pleas help me get to the end of this thanks

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Sounds like a predator of some kind got into your eggs. Thus the missing one.

As for there being a small egg/hen ratio, it is still winter (In the upper hemisphere) so lower egg production is normal. Especially since your hens matured so late in the year. I'd give them until spring bare minimum before I got worried.

 

[justplainbatty]

hi all, i have got 15 chickens, when we bought them they all made eggs, but now only three make eggs, the are about 6 months old.
this morning i went to go give them food and there where only three eggs, so i said i will leave the eggs for another hour to see what happens, when i get back to pick up the eggs, one of them are gone.
i put my hands every where and nothing one of the three eggs where gone.
i dont know whats happening pleas help me get to the end of this thanks

Welcome to our flock.

When you find eggs, always take them right away. It could be the work of a skunk or racoon but, there is also a good chance that the "predator" of the eggs, could be the chickens themselves. they can eat a whole egg and leave nary a trace. IMHO, if there was a predator in the coop, there would be worse problems than just a missing egg. Just my two cents....

 

[theo corpodean]

there is one chicken that is limping around, i dont know what from it could be the next door dog ill ceep an eye out

 

[theo corpodean]

i am in nz (southern hemisphere) we are starting to head out of summer now i dont know what it could be

 

[wyoDreamer]

Are your hens going into molt?

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Remember, chickens can't read a calendar. They don't know that they are six months old. I have had some that didn't lay until over ten months. Once they started, though, very religious in doing so.

 

[ivantheorpan]

This is very interesting, can you please tell me more about how your chickens are going. Maybe I can come over to your farm and figure it out together

 

[MyChickenCookie]

If it is winter or if they are molting that is the reason. As for the missing eggs, it sounds like a predator is taking them. You may want to secure your coop.