Why are my hens not laying?!?!

[Owenp_2]

Hey everyone in case you don’t know I have 6 hens and 1 rooster and five of the hens are 1 year old. The other hen is almost 10 months old. All of the sudden they have stopped laying if you have any idea why please let me know.

Thanks,
Owen

 

[featheredplanets]

The heat could be a factor. Or just a natural break. Is it possible they’re laying somewhere else when out free ranging?

 

[Padfoot22]

Hey everyone in case you don’t know I have 6 hens and 1 rooster and five of the hens are 1 year old. The other hen is almost 10 months old. All of the sudden they have stopped laying if you have any idea why please let me know.

Thanks,
Owen

I’ve noticed a few reasons over the years:
1) If one molts they all stop laying till it’s complete. 2) If there’s a stressful event like a predator attack - they stop laying for a few weeks. 3) Big weather shifts like we’ve had recently in NC (95 one day and 80 the next) or long periods of rain will stop laying till the season straightens out some. 4) Snakes, rats, small possums can get in the smallest holes eat and leave.

 

[chickenlittle21]

I am letting them free range so majority of what they eat is what they find on the 20 acres, however I am feeding them an organic laying feed. The temperatures where I live are in North Carolina so they are crazy. Mostly recently they have been between 83-97.

It could be because of the heat

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Theyrebprobably laying and hiding them. Mine do all the time

 

[Owenp_2]

Chickens are good hiders of their eggs, it has to be hidden so that predators don't notice them.
Are they molting?

Yes, actually one of them who I have never seen lay is molting the others look okay though. If they hid their eggs how would they do it by burial?
One more thing, yesterday I did keep them in the coop all day to see if they did lay but I found no eggs.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

are you in a valley there in NC, where you may be seeing a reduction in light already? Seems WAY early in the season for that, so I'm basically dismissing my own suggestion, but throwing it out there for completeness.

Like the others, more inclined to think some sly hiding may be occurring, if they've not all begun to molt at once.

 

[Owenp_2]

Molting is feather replacement - old feathers go, new feathers grow in. Its very hard on a bird, all their energy goes into that, instead of laying.

Oh okay well that explains why one hen who has been molting forever has not layed yet.

 

[CluckerFamily]

My hens usually dig a small crater like hole in the past they make a nest at the base of perennials, in tall grass, one even had leaves nearby and pushed some leaves to cover the eggs.

There are feeds that help with molting called "Feather Fixer" but this isn't organic. I haven't looking into organic feed before.

 

[aart]

I've used "feather fixer" before as a substitute for "all flock" when I couldn't get my preferred feed due to COVID-related shortages. Its just a high protein feed w/o the extra calcium supplement in a layer feed.

IIRC feather fixer has 3-4% calcium.
The 'feather fixer' term is a marketing ploy, long story.