Why haven't we had any eggs at all for a month?

[plum14]

Please can someone help as we are not getting any eggs at all any more.

Our little flock consists of a serama cockerel and hen, 3 pencilled wyandottes, one buff wyandotte and a buff laced wyandotte. Earlier this spring we hatched 2 wyandottes from bought eggs and 5 seramas from our seramas but hatched in incubator. We also have a guard goose which we introduced about 10 weeks ago.

All mature hens had been laying fine up until about a month ago. First 2 pencilled wyandottes went broody, one we lent to a friend, another we sucessfully broke. The buff one was in moult so she stopped laying, but that left us with the serama hen and one pencilled and buff laced still laying. Then they just stopped. No hidden eggs just nothing.

I am at my wits end - they are in a big run with lots of grass, access to good quality layer pellets, oyster shells and corn occasionally. I am in UK with mild weather.

Please can anyone shed any light for me as I am feeding these birds with no eggs to show for it

 

[21hens-incharge]

Have you checked for mites and lice? Have they been wormed?
Can you have a very run a fecal float test for parasites?

That would be where I would start.

You have had an eventful summer. With the additions and broody birds there has been enough upset to put them out of lay for a while.

So once internal and external parasites are ruled out watch to see if you have a potential egg eater. Then it is just a real test of patience.

 

[plum14]

Thanks - I have got a worm count kit, the last one got lost in the post, so I'll send another one after the weekend.

All the coops have had a thorough clean and put down DE. The coops are eglu so no external mites as far as I can tell.

 

[aart]

If the birds that were laying and stopped are 12-18 months old, they are probably molting as well.
How many bird in how many coops?
Do they all share the run?
Pics would be great.

All the coops have had a thorough clean and put down DE. The coops are eglu so no external mites as far as I can tell.

DE and a clean coop does not eliminate the possibility of external parasites.
Have you checked the birds over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).