why aren't my chickens laying

[sn2bavet]

Ok so here is my story I have 2 chickens (one Rhode Island and one Buff) that I got as adults 3 yrs ago, so I do not really know their age. We got them the first year we built the coop and they were laying an egg a day then. The same year (2010) we got some chicks (1 black sex link, 1 Americana) and they started laying in Aug/Sept and we got 1 egg every day from each. The next spring we got 3 more chicks ( 1 Silverlaced, 1 Barred rock, and another Americana) all three started laying an egg a day in Aug/Sept 2011. And this yr we got 3 more chicks (Rhode Island, Leghorn and another Americana) all 3 have not started laying yet.
I feed a commercial layer feed I get at Coastal Farm and Ranch and fresh water. I let them out to free range in have of my yard (no eggs found anywhere else) everyday. For awhile I was finding pecked eggs and I thought it was the chickens so I put in golf balls in the boxes to discourage this behavior. I then saw the culprit, a blue jay flying into the coop. We fixed the door so that doesn't happen anymore and I am not finding broken eggs. I have kept the golf balls in the boxes. I also feed them food scraps and lettuce. They are not losing feathers so I do not think they are molting. They appear healthy, shiny coats, no lethargy, no runny eyes nothing.
So, since May I have only been getting 2 eggs a day!! I completely cleaned out the coop again with new hay in the laying boxes. I added a corn mash scratch that I throw out every morning. I live in Portland Oregon so it has not been overly hot. I am so frustrated, I can understand not getting an egg everyday from our first two since I do not know their ages. The only thing I am sure of is or second Americana is laying everyday because she lays green eggs and then I get one brown egg a day but no telling which one is laying it.
Any suggestions? Anything we are doing wrong??

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.
Vexing isn't it. Did you check for parasites, worms, lice and mites? You could try to confine them for a day or tow to be sure they aren't hiding any. They are good at that, its how their ancestors kept reproducing.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Scratch is chicken candy, so they should only have it in small amounts. How much are you giving them?

 

[Vicky2479]

Could you have a greedy predator other than the blu jay getting in and stealing them? A rat or snake maybe. And are you sure that are to laying somewhere else, my father inlaws neighbors were wondering the something about their hens till I found a nest filled with eggs hidden in the weeds at the back of his yard. Good luck and hope you find out what is happening soon.

 

[sn2bavet]

Well they all look healthy and their poop is normal what else do I look for??

 

[Den in Penn]

Lets try the other way. Are they over weight? When you pick them up do they feel heavy, can you easily feel the breast bone? Over weight hens have problems laying.

 

[sn2bavet]

Humm I never thought of that, I will have to go and feel how heavy they are. I have 10 chickens and I give them one cup of corn scratch thrown out on the ground every morning and one cup of the layer crumble. In the coop I have a hanging chicken feeder that I keep crumble in and 1 for water. We then throw out table scraps (except egg shells and meat bones) in a plastic ice cream bucket and I take that out to them in the morning. We also give them lettuce/vegies/fruit once or twice a week.

 

[sn2bavet]

I have searched the few places in the yard that they would be able to hide eggs and there are no eggs anywhere! Another thing I forgot to mention is we had a rat problem earlier this year
So bad that we could watch them (approx 5) running in and out of the coop eating the layer crumble. So we put bread dough out under the coop and in one day they were gone! I suppose there might be a new predator now but I do not see any signs.

 

[binders]

I have searched the few places in the yard that they would be able to hide eggs and there are no eggs anywhere! Another thing I forgot to mention is we had a rat problem earlier this year
So bad that we could watch them (approx 5) running in and out of the coop eating the layer crumble. So we put bread dough out under the coop and in one day they were gone! I suppose there might be a new predator now but I do not see any signs.

What does bread dough do?

 

[sn2bavet]

ok so don't hate me, bread dough kills rodents! they cant digest it and they cant vomit it up so, well you get the picture right.