Why did my chicken stop laying?

[Anniebee]

I have 6 chickens the older girls I have had for over a year all great egg layers! 7 months ago I got 2 more chickens they have been laying for the past month but they are mean to the older girls! Now I am not getting many eggs the last few days only like 2-6 eggs not sure what to do! They all eat well free range and I have now separated the mean ones at night! Also the other day I found some egg shells in the nest! But yet to have find any other shells since!
Any advice?

Hi KB girls. ...... I really think you should try to separate the aggressive chickens from the older chickens - both night AND day. I have no idea if you are on a private property / with back garden, or a farmlet, or indeed a larger farm. It might take some doing ( it did for us ) .... in re-arranging everything to keep the peace, but it had to be done. One of our big girls, literally would kill our smaller araucana if she got half the chance. But we live on a 1/4 acre ... much of which is house / building, and a fairly normal sized back garden. We now have two separate runs, and two separate coops. Only 3 chickens admittedly, but the small one lives by herself - the other two are inseparable. The big girls free range in one large area; the little one doesn't like free ranging - gets a bit upset about it. So I put her in the dog run ( without Miss Ruby ), with a lot of clipped grass, and other goodies she can scratch at and she's happy there - that's HER version of free ranging !!

At night chickens are naturally docile, so there would be less inclination for aggression. It's during the day that the nasties would be happening. Especially when a chicken is occupying a nest for laying. Stress will put chickens off laying, along with coming into a moult ( which would be out of season at this time of the year, but can actually happen at any time ) ....

It's possible one of the meaner chooks, 'killed' off an egg by crushing it. If your girls lay different coloured eggs, then you would know which chicken laid the egg that was ultimately trashed.
I don't know how you would know otherwise, but it seems from your post, that the egg shell find was of concern to you.

Not knowing your circumstances, I don't know what else to advise. Except certainly the separation of the meanies from the oldies, at ALL times. If it was one of the older girls egg that was crushed ( and most likely the innards eaten ) .... then give her a couple of weeks grace, by herself with her older friends .... and she will most likely start laying again happily.

Good luck,

Cheers .......... AB

 

[KBgirls]

Thanks so much!

 

[KBgirls]