NO Egg laying

[abellchicken]

OK so I have 13 older hens 2 and 1/2 plus, then I have 13 hens how are 8 months old and 11 that are 7 months old and 19 that are 17 weeks old. I am only getting 6 to 8 eggs a day. what is going on? I have had chickens for years and never had a problem like this. It seems like most of the young ones 8 months and younger are not laying at all. I know that at least 2 of the oldest hens are laying I know their eggs. Any suggestions. No hidden nest. I have penned them up for several days (4) to check. Nothing. Usually with this many hens I am getting about 3 dozen a day.

 

[sourland]

Any changes in feed or husbandry practices?

 

[abellchicken]

No, We did have a fox come though in early June and kill a bunch of older birds (16). We took care of it and nothing has happened since. All the young ones were not even old enough back then to lay and they were not free ranging at the time. ??

 

[SandyRiverChick]

What's their diet consist of?

 

[abellchicken]

16% PROTIEN LAYER PELLETS

 

[abellchicken]

They also free range all day. Plus kitchen scraps and scratch.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Is there any chance something is getting into the coop and stealing eggs? Other than molting I've only had this happen when I made a diet change....

 

[abellchicken]

I don't think anything is stealing the eggs we are in and out of there several times a day. A couple of the older girls are mottling but not all the younger should be laying hens.

 

[NatJ]

It seems like most of the young ones 8 months and younger are not laying at all.

Do they have big, bright combs & wattles? Or do they still look immature?

If pullets are growing up in the late summer and fall, as the days are getting shorter, sometimes they just wait until spring before they start laying. Even if they do not wait until spring, they sometimes need to get older before they start. Pullets who mature as the days are getting longer in spring and summer tend to lay at younger ages.

(I don't know if the day length is actually your problem or not, just mentioning it as one idea to possibly consider.)

 

[Bird is the word]

I have the same problem with my hens I have 5 of them age range from 2 to 4 but I get almost no eggs or around 2 a week I suspect they are eating them but I am not sure what to do