Why have my girls stopped laying?!

[Tuhmu]

I'm in the same boat, springchicken! I know there is something going on, I just can't seem to pinpoint it.

And no sign of any egg yoke, membrane, she'll, etc, LeviS. I saw that two eggs were laid late this morning. I left them in the boxes to see what would happen. Still there when I returned later in the afternoon...my only two eggs today :/

Your situation is so puzzling lol. Is there anyway we can see pics of the chickens and coop?

 

[springchicken10]

Well at least you got two. I have had NOTHING, not even from my silkie who usually is an egg factory. Get one of those maybe. They lay a mountain of small eggs. I once was told to put a plastic easter egg in the nest as it would encourage egg laying. I don't have one but I am going to put a real one in and see if it helps. I also treated their water for worms and bought wild bird seed and extra good laying crumbles just yesterday. Let's see if that helps.
Their feathers looks full and beautiful but I do see eight or ten feathers on the ground of their pen. Is this considered molting? Thanks

 

[ADKChickenChick]

Sure, Levi...I'll take some pics today and post this afternoon. Keep an eye out

 

[ADKChickenChick]

Here is our coop and run area. As I said in my original post, the coop is 8x12'. They have access to their food and water inside at all times, as well as their roosts. There is a "trap door" in the floor of the coop that leads to the underneath. They can then travel though our chicken tunnel to the run. The run is constructed of red cedar posts. They also have a roost out there, as well and another waterer. At night the tunnel is closed off where it meets the underneath of the coop. This way nothing is able to access the coop from the run.

We have 7 nesting boxes (for some reason I though we had 8!) that can be accessed from outside. You can see how high the nesting boxes are from the ground...this is why I am adamant that nothing like a skunk or raccoon can get to our eggs. The lid is heavy and is always latched. I did have five eggs when I took these photos a bit ago...that's definitely an improvement, but with 23 hens some are still slacking to say the least. Please let me know if anything in these photos catches your eye as to why our production stinks!

 

[NotableNancy]

Here is our coop and run area. As I said in my original post, the coop is 8x12'. They have access to their food and water inside at all times, as well as their roosts. There is a "trap door" in the floor of the coop that leads to the underneath. They can then travel though our chicken tunnel to the run. The run is constructed of red cedar posts. They also have a roost out there, as well and another waterer. At night the tunnel is closed off where it meets the underneath of the coop. This way nothing is able to access the coop from the run.

We have 7 nesting boxes (for some reason I though we had 8!) that can be accessed from outside. You can see how high the nesting boxes are from the ground...this is why I am adamant that nothing like a skunk or raccoon can get to our eggs. The lid is heavy and is always latched. I did have five eggs when I took these photos a bit ago...that's definitely an improvement, but with 23 hens some are still slacking to say the least. Please let me know if anything in these photos catches your eye as to why our production stinks!

That is a GREAT set up!! Huge coop, they wouldn't be overcrowded from what I can tell. Just a few ideas but I really don't know as I've only had chickens a year ...
Maybe predators are terrorizing them from the outside of the run and making them nervous?
Try a golf ball in each nest. Maybe they don't like the burlap covering the nests. Try taking a few off?
It took a full 10 months for one of my Easter Eggers to lay so maybe a few aren't laying yet? Her comb was big and red so I thought she was then I got a 2nd green egg
so I knew she finally started laying.
Maybe with the longer days finally here they will start laying more?
I hope things turn around for you soon.

 

[ADKChickenChick]

Thanks, Nancy! I've never seen any evidence of predators, but that doesn't mean we don't have any. I've also tried the golf ball trick...I used ping pong balls. They kicked them all out, kicked them underneath, and "played" with them down there.

I've also tried it without curtains...didn't seem to make a huge difference - if anything i believe they prefer to have them for privacy. My EEs took the longest to lay as well. From my three - the last week - we've have at least one blue or green per day...one day two!

7 eggs today (and another blue). Yesterday was 8...things are starting I look up!

 

[kpertz]

We had a rooster died in Dec...the girls were good layers but have slowed down...only 2 -4 eggs ...we have 8 girls..they are 2 years old..good food let them out to roam 2 times a week...don't know why they aren't laying more eggs...

 

[NotableNancy]

Thanks, Nancy! I've never seen any evidence of predators, but that doesn't mean we don't have any. I've also tried the golf ball trick...I used ping pong balls. They kicked them all out, kicked them underneath, and "played" with them down there.

I've also tried it without curtains...didn't seem to make a huge difference - if anything i believe they prefer to have them for privacy. My EEs took the longest to lay as well. From my three - the last week - we've have at least one blue or green per day...one day two!

7 eggs today (and another blue). Yesterday was 8...things are starting I look up!

I typically find when I complain about one of them not laying they immediately start laying

... like they know they better stop free loading... hopefully that's what will happen

 

[donrae]

ADK, your coop and run look great. I love the tunnel!

I agree, I'm not seeing how a predator could be getting eggs, and leaving no trace. I'm puzzled. The only thing I'd even wonder is if they can reach the water easily enough with as elevated as you have it? I've been told when I was away last summer my birds occasionally ran out of water

and there were no eggs for a few days after that was discovered. Other than that, I got nothing, sorry.