Only 1 of 4 hens laying (2 years old)

[Sara211]

My 4 hens (2 Easter Eggs, 1 Golden Comet, 1 Black Australorp) all laid eggs their first summer into winter. They slowed down in the winter, as expected (I'm in NJ, USA). In the spring (last year), 1 Easter Egger didn't lay much but the other 3 were very consistent. In the fall, we upgraded their coop into something much bigger and that will accommodate a growing flock size (we have not yet added any birds). Around 2 months ago, as the days were getting longer and the weather warmer, all the birds except the Black Australorp, quit laying with the exception of 2 fairy eggs from one of the Easter Eggers. Besides the coop, the only other change has been that the tarp covering the run was ripped off during a windstorm. I haven't replaced it as I am going to build a new, bigger run, with a hard roof this spring.

I have tried giving them yogurt and other treats to make sure they are getting protein and calcium. We've kept the coop and run pretty clean, although we can always do better. What should I try to get them laying again?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Cut out or cut down the treats, if you're using a commercial feed that's just messing with their nutritional intake.

Do you free range at all?

 

[Sara211]

Cut out or cut down the treats, if you're using a commercial feed that's just messing with their nutritional intake.

Do you free range at all?

Interesting. I can try that.

No free ranging. It’s far too dangerous where I live… far too many predators.

 

[koleary99]

My six, three-y.o. chickens have done the same, and I have to question whether one egg every other day is worth the cost of feed.

 

[aart]

Cut out or cut down the treats, if you're using a commercial feed that's just messing with their nutritional intake.

Ditto Dat!
What all and how exactly are you feeding.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would sit out there with coffee, and watch them most of the morning? When I have a sudden decrease - they have a hidden nest. And yes I know you are sure there is not one, but I have had them hide a nest in plane view. Or sneak into the smallest of holes and be behind somehing. It would be highly unusual for all of them to not be laying this time of year, unless they were in a severe starvation mode.

You should examine them carefully, checking the width of their pubic bones, to see if they are laying. If they really are not laying, I would cull and start over.

Mrs K

 

[Sara211]

Ditto Dat!
What all and how exactly are you feeding.

They have a feeder in their run full of Purina Layer Crumble. I was giving them fresh fruit (watermelon/raspberries/blueberries... basically whatever was leftover from my toddler), yogurt, and some treat mixes I purchased at my local farm store. Never at the same time; they would only get one treat per day. Since the suggestion to stop, I haven't given any more.

 

[Sara211]

I would sit out there with coffee, and watch them most of the morning? When I have a sudden decrease - they have a hidden nest. And yes I know you are sure there is not one, but I have had them hide a nest in plane view. Or sneak into the smallest of holes and be behind somehing. It would be highly unusual for all of them to not be laying this time of year, unless they were in a severe starvation mode.

You should examine them carefully, checking the width of their pubic bones, to see if they are laying. If they really are not laying, I would cull and start over.

Mrs K

This is a good suggestion. I may actually get a camera and put in the coop pointed at the boxes too, just to see if I have an egg eater.

I'm not going to cull the flock. My family loves them like pets so eggs or not, we will keep them.

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

My 4 hens (2 Easter Eggs, 1 Golden Comet, 1 Black Australorp) all laid eggs their first summer into winter. They slowed down in the winter, as expected (I'm in NJ, USA). In the spring (last year), 1 Easter Egger didn't lay much but the other 3 were very consistent. In the fall, we upgraded their coop into something much bigger and that will accommodate a growing flock size (we have not yet added any birds). Around 2 months ago, as the days were getting longer and the weather warmer, all the birds except the Black Australorp, quit laying with the exception of 2 fairy eggs from one of the Easter Eggers. Besides the coop, the only other change has been that the tarp covering the run was ripped off during a windstorm. I haven't replaced it as I am going to build a new, bigger run, with a hard roof this spring.

I have tried giving them yogurt and other treats to make sure they are getting protein and calcium. We've kept the coop and run pretty clean, although we can always do better. What should I try to get them laying again?

I did a long post here about sorghum. I was happy to see many responses, you could check that out. There's also a discussion about Easter Eggers not being good layers. I think you can search those terms and get a lot of info. Also mine (I'm in far north Maine, slow down until after spring molt (now). Could that be part of it? Are they going into molt?