Farm Chickens stopped laying

[Shooter]

for some reason my 4 chickens have stopped laying.all year since spring, been getting 3 or 4 eggs a day. last 5 days. no eggs at all. looked around there pen . nothing. what would make them all stop at the same time? weather has been in about the 85 to 90. they layed when it was hotter ,

 

[catskinner]

Sounds like you have a snake.

 

[EMICT]

They got a call from Uncle Joe; no more eggs for you until you get the 'poke'.

 

[West]

Or some kind of varmint, coon, fox, cat, possum, etc.

Need a game camera in the coop, I need one too!

Set up your live trap, bait it with peanut butter and tuna fish as soon as your girls go to roost.

 

[phloydius]

How many times a day do you check for the eggs? The varmints (like others have mentioned) is the most likely. If you check several times a day it might help identify if they are actually laying.

Next question, have you changed their food in the last month?
How are their combs?

 

[patriotgal]

Really sick of feeding black snakes...especially with feed costing a fortune. Working on a new snake proof residence for the girls. Weekends are only time I can get to the eggs before the snakes.

 

[Marie]

Could be varmints or one developed an taste for egg. Check multiple times a day.

 

[Cyclonemom]

1. What is their age?
2. Do you supplement warm spectrum light so that they have 12-14 hours of light a day?

 

[Caplock50]

Try putting a golf ball in each nest. Then make sure that the only openings are smaller than the golf balls...and be sure to close the door to the hen house at night. The golf balls will, 'put the hens in the right mood' to lay eggs. And the small openings will 'catch' any snake that swallows one of the golf balls. Caught a snake that way years ago when I had about 20 chickens...so I know it works.

 

[Sage Brushfilly]

I heard that animal feed may have less protein because of the poor harvest conditions. Can't remember what percentage is good for chickens, but seems like 16% min. Don't know if that would trigger all to stop at once though. Maybe feed some meal worms, meat or something else to see if it helps.

 

[Caplock50]

Oh and if you have only one rooster, get another. It seems they like to prove their 'manhood'...know what I mean?

 

[skwentnaflyer]

Mine have started to molt, that usually signals a break from laying. You could try adding protein, too, as mentioned above. I have a friend who swears by dry dog food as a supplement

 

[buttie]

The ravens liked to steal my eggs. Past tense intentional.

 

[Countrymouse]

An old farm wives' trick to keep older hens laying longer---

sprinkle red pepper (NOT cayenne; regular red pepper) in their feed.

 

[Profit of Doom]

Oh and if you have only one rooster, get another. It seems they like to prove their 'manhood'...know what I mean?

Hens don't need a rooster to lay eggs, just to lay fertile eggs.

 

[Shooter]

would a snake eat that many eggs every day? I think im gonna put one of my pyraneese in with the chickens

 

[Marie]

would a snake eat that many eggs every day? I think im gonna put one of my pyraneese in with the chickens

Yes they would and the pyrenees is a good deterrent but keep an ear out and check him frequently snakes aren't as scared of dogs. Quigley got bit by a king snake

 

[China Connection]

Snakes eat heaps of eggs.

Yeah, and as mentioned above protein content of food is very important. Try feeding a bit of liver cut into thin strips. .

 

[ioujc]

It may very well be the feed.

I bought three sacks of whole corn that NOTHING on my little "farm" will even touch!!

I think the GMO crap, which is in EVERYTHING, is causing all kinds of issues!!

I tried feeding it to my goats, which is who I actually bought it for. They looked at it, didn't even try it, and walked away. They left it untouched three days. I threw it out on the yard, thinking the hens would eat it>>>>>they won't even go in the area of the back yard I threw it in!!

It has rained numerous times since then>>>>>>NO evidence of sprouts or anything.

Problem is now>>>>>what do I do with this crap?? I think it is probably poison or inedible for all of my animals to refuse it!

 

[ioujc]

Sorry shooter about not addressing your issue>>>>

I think the idea of liver is a great idea!

Also yes, snakes will clean your eggs out if they can.

 

[ghost]

for some reason my 4 chickens have stopped laying.all year since spring, been getting 3 or 4 eggs a day. last 5 days. no eggs at all. looked around there pen . nothing. what would make them all stop at the same time? weather has been in about the 85 to 90. they layed when it was hotter ,

I have some ducks on my place.
That has not happen. Have a large lake outside or Del Rio, Tx. That is 60miles from me?
I think it has something to do with the Earths magnetic field?

 

[Border Collie Dad]

Oh and if you have only one rooster, get another. It seems they like to prove their 'manhood'...know what I mean?

Don't need a rooster for eggs.

Or some kind of varmint, coon, fox, cat, possum, etc.

I think if those varmints were there, he'd have dead birds

 

[Displaced hillbilly]

Could be any or all mentioned above. Could also be you have an egg eater, or more than one. I’ve got an egg eater, and she’s taught her mean friends the same habit. She needs to be culled, just haven’t done it yet.

 

[Firebird]

Are they molting?

 

[WalknTrot]

Molting, hot weather, egg predators..you don't say how old they are but pullets will molt their second fall .

 

[Shooter]

not molting, and there isnt any shell or parts of egg if a chicken was eating it, its like there picked up and taken away. the chickens are 1 1/2 years old

 

[savurselvs]

other Than a snake, the feed, mine nearly stop laying when I used Dumor feed, a buddy had same experience.

 

[West]

Don't need a rooster for eggs.



I think if those varmints were there, he'd have dead birds

Varmints don't have to be inside the coop to scare the birds, so they don't lay.

 

[WalknTrot]

not molting, and there isnt any shell or parts of egg if a chicken was eating it, its like there picked up and taken away. the chickens are 1 1/2 years old

Perfect timing for a molt, if they haven't already.

 

[Nancy in OK]

We have killed 2 six foot snakes in the last week. The one yesterday ate all the eggs.

 

[Shooter]

ok. im not sure then what molting is? I thought it was when they lost there fethers?

 

[greysage]

Squatter nearby?

 

[Shooter]

no, im out in the country, and the neighbors already get eggs

 

[summerthyme]

Hens don't need a rooster to lay eggs, just to lay fertile eggs.

Yeah, and more than one rooster per 10 hens or so ends up with fewer eggs because the roosters run the hens ragged.

Summerthyme

 

[Marie]

Egg eating hens don't always leave a shell. Molting is when they lose their feathers but they don't always shed all their feathers at once especially if they have a nutritious diet. My young girls molt but it isn't super noticeable

 

[summerthyme]

ok. im not sure then what molting is? I thought it was when they lost there fethers?

It is, but it doesn't have to be dramatic. Some birds are "slow molters" who lose and replace one flight feather st a time. Others seem to drop them all over a short period, and can be half naked until they regrow new.

Your birds are at the right age, but it does seem a bit odd that they'd all stop laying for a molt on the exact same day! Snake is a real possibility. Rats will also steal eggs.

A game camera set up on the nest boxes should tell you what's going on.

Summerthyme

 

[Freeholder]

Moulting is when they lose their feathers, and this is about the time of year when it usually starts. Your birds are old enough, too. You may not be seeing any feather loss yet, but probably will soon.

Whether or not that is the issue, increasing their protein intake won't hurt anything and may help. Then check for predators. Egg-eating hens usually leave some mess in the nest boxes -- smears of yolk, bits of shell left behind.

Kathleen

 

[Countrymouse]

An old farm wives' trick to keep older hens laying longer---

sprinkle red pepper (NOT cayenne; regular red pepper) in their feed.

Actually I did try this and it worked (several times) for my hens--even in molt.

You don't put a lot in--just sprinkle a bit in their feed.

 

[meandk0610]

not molting, and there isnt any shell or parts of egg if a chicken was eating it, its like there picked up and taken away. the chickens are 1 1/2 years old

Snake is my number one answer. Human is my number two (since there aren’t any shells left and nothing has changed). Anybody around who might “borrow” some eggs?

 

[ginnie6]

you could try upping their protein by giving them some cat food. Just a bag of the cheap dry stuff. In the winter I give mine cracked corn to keep them laying. An old farmer told me it kept them warm so they'd keep on laying. Whatever the reason it works.