Why are they Stopping?

[-Isla June-]

Hey! I am writing in today wondering why my 1yo hens are deciding not to lay. They still lay sometimes, but now we are only getting four a day. We have 14 chickens and used to get nine a day. They are not overcrowded, as they are in the large run all day. I haven’t changed food for a while, they receive the same scratch, and I even added more fun things to the run. So they are not bored or stressed from change. I do, however feed them random things throughout the day in which my family and I eat. Such as beets, apple cores, corn, fruit, etc. I make sure the chickens can eat those before I give it to them, and they receive lots of fruit and highly nutritional food items each day. What can it be? I sell eggs and recently haven't been able to sell. Help!

 

[LAYAM]

Ayam Cemani (for example) are said to lay for a few weeks and then stop laying for a few weeks … I’d kept some as eye candy with the rest of my flock thus cannot honestly say that I observed that or maybe I missed it cause most of my hens lay brown eggs

We’ve recently discovered that the rat snakes have found their way into the coop … they like to snack on chicken eggs … it’s getting warmer everywhere so maybe you’ve got something stealing your eggs

and then there’s always the possibility that your chickens are molting or fixing to molt … that may reduce the number of eggs you are getting

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How much "extra" scraps are you feeding?

You may need to cut back on all the extras and limit them to no more than 10% of their daily intake. Hens need protein and balanced nutrition to produce eggs, so they may be lacking somehow.

What breeds do you have? Some breeds are not very productive, so this may be part of the problem as well.

If you have photos of your flock and housing you wish to share, that would be good too.

 

[Kiki]

Hey! I am writing in today wondering why my 1yo hens are deciding not to lay. They still lay sometimes, but now we are only getting four a day. We have 14 chickens and used to get nine a day. They are not overcrowded, as they are in the large run all day. I haven’t changed food for a while, they receive the same scratch, and I even added more fun things to the run. So they are not bored or stressed from change. I do, however feed them random things throughout the day in which my family and I eat. Such as beets, apple cores, corn, fruit, etc. I make sure the chickens can eat those before I give it to them, and they receive lots of fruit and highly nutritional food items each day. What can it be? I sell eggs and recently haven't been able to sell. Help!

Sounds like your birds are not getting a balanced diet which can lead to them getting serious infections which would cause them to stop laying eggs.

 

[sourland]

Are you providing a primary ration for egg production? Did you extend the day light period with lights over the winter? They may simply be taking a normal break in their laying cycle.

 

[3KillerBs]

Are any of them going broody?

Have you looked for hidden nests?

 

[-Isla June-]

Sounds like your birds are not getting a balanced diet which can lead to them getting serious infections which would cause them to stop laying eggs.

Thanks!