Why aren't my hens laying?

[LearningToFly]

Background info:

I have six hens. Three are four years old, so I expect a decline in their laying. However, three just turned a year old in April.

Four of the hens (the older girls and the buff rock) lay brown eggs; I have a white layer and a green layer.

My three older birds moulted in August and stopped laying. The young girls laid throughout the winter, and now the Americauna has stopped laying as well.

Why?

They're fed on organic layer feed, they roam the back yard and forage, they have plenty of water, they get oyster grit, and it's not hot.

We depend upon the eggs. I need four daily, not two.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[speckledhen]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers

 

[UrbanGirls]

i too have a question about laying. One of my hens went broody so I expect her not to be laying but my other 3 turned 2 this month and I am only getting an egg or two every few days. After an opossum got in, I cleaned the cage and replaced everything with new hay and alfalfa. they were all doing well but we had to put one of the chickens down after that event. The other 3 seem healthy and happy although I noticed a decline in feeding on their grain. I just dont know what happened.

 

[speckledhen]

They aren't vending machines. They react to stress and fear and can be put off laying for weeks because of certain events. By the time they get to 4-5 years old, they may lay on average only half of the year.

If you read through that link I gave, you'll get all the answers there are to give.

 

[LearningToFly]

They aren't vending machines. They react to stress and fear and can be put off laying for weeks because of certain events. By the time they get to 4-5 years old, they may lay on average only half of the year.

If you read through that link I gave, you'll get all the answers there are to give.

Yes, I know.

I fully expected the older girls to start slowing down this year. They'll just hang out here until they pass on.

But that's why I added the little girls to the flock last year. Having the expectation of 5 eggs / week from each of the young girls and then another 2 or so from each of the older girls is not something I would have considered unreasonable.

I had already looked for obvious reasons for them to stop laying, then I checked online and found that none of those suggestions fit, so came here hoping some experienced backyard chickeners could suggest either something simple that I over looked, or something out of the ordinary that I hadn't thought of.

It would seem to me that there would need to be a cause for a hen to stop laying; she doesn't just decide.

So, noting that nutrition is good, housing is good, no obvious illness, no age issues, no predators, birds are happy, and nothing has changed for them... What caused this?

One thing I have been thinking of... It wouldn't be surprising for the older girls to slow laying, but stopping together doesn't seem right. And for little Chestnut to suddenly stop seems not quite right as well. However, Lucy is top chicken around here. I have noticed that she seems a lot harder on Chestnut lately, and she also seems to be meaner than usual to the other birds as well. If I was just looking at the flock, I might think there was an aggressive rooster living here.

Could Lucy's aggression be a problem for them?

 

[LearningToFly]

I was wondering about egg eating, too. But... If they were eating eggs, wouldn't they eat all of them? As it is, I'm getting a white egg and a brown egg almost daily.

And if they were eating eggs, how would I know other than the absence of eggs?

 

[LottieDa]

I'm in a similar situation. 8 hens... all just over 1 year old. All regular layers, usually 4 to 5 eggs a day. Then a couple weeks ago it was down to 3 or 4 a day. This week was 1 to 2 a day. And the last 2 days, NO eggs.

They are fed organic feed, recieve a treat each day (either dried meal worms or organic fruit).
They have a cozy little coop, a large walk in coop, and free run of about a quarter acre.
No predator problems. No health problems.
They dust bathe and socialize daily, and forage from sun up to sun down.
I put out grit and oyster shell regularly.
Their appetite is good. Their water intake is normal. Their poop looks like it always does.
And they're just a active and good humored as always when interacting with me.
I haven't seen any obvious signs of molting. No feathers about the coops or anywhere else.

If they need a break from laying, that's fine with me. I just want to know that my girls are healthy and if there's anything I should be doing differently.

 

[blkwdw]

my americaunas quit laying a few weeks ago and on response to a query here, I was told to mix the oyster shell in with their food. (as opposed to giving it separately) 4 days later, I have blue eggs again!!!!