Should my hens still be laying?

[Hennyhoneys]

I have 3 OG chickens (australorp, buff Orpington, Easter egger) from my initial flock, they are 3 years old and they have all stopped laying. Some are still sitting in the nest box at times and I may get one egg here or there from the australorp or buff Orpington, but it’s maybe 2 a month. None from the Easter egger in months. I’m thinking they should lay a little longer and also it’s odd they pretty much all dropped production at once. The only differences I’m aware of are new chicks over past few months, and I switched everyone to the chick food at a recommendation from a few posts on here, and put out eggshells that 2/3 were eating but I never saw the EE eat them. With the drop I’ve put the layer feed back out (also chick feed in separate feeder for the chicks) for about 3 weeks and have just hoped everyone eats what they need. Anything else I should consider? They all check out fine in appearance, no mites, etc.

TIA!
Michelle

 

[Hennyhoneys]

I have 3 OG chickens (australorp, buff Orpington, Easter egger) from my initial flock, they are 3 years old and they have all stopped laying. Some are still sitting in the nest box at times and I may get one egg here or there from the australorp or buff Orpington, but it’s maybe 2 a month. None from the Easter egger in months. I’m thinking they should lay a little longer and also it’s odd they pretty much all dropped production at once. The only differences I’m aware of are new chicks over past few months, and I switched everyone to the chick food at a recommendation from a few posts on here, and put out eggshells that 2/3 were eating but I never saw the EE eat them. With the drop I’ve put the layer feed back out (also chick feed in separate feeder for the chicks) for about 3 weeks and have just hoped everyone eats what they need. Anything else I should consider? They all check out fine in appearance, no mites, etc.

TIA!
Michelle

I should also mention there was a lot of predator pressure that took some of their mates just before this change (stress).
We then built a bigger secure run and they have almost totally reduced their free range time due to predator concern. But they still have a big fenced area. Definitely a change for those three tho.

 

[Mrs. K]

A sudden drop often means a hidden nest. Look carefully, spend some time down there when they are laying in the morning.

Not sure where you are, but we have just had a major heat streak break (thank you God) Heat will also cause them to slow way down in production.

Age makes them lay less, at 3 years of age, it becomes more obviously less - add heat to that and well. Could be not many eggs. They are technically still laying - just not often. As they age, they stop laying sooner going into the molt, and they stay not laying longer over the dark days of winter, and are slower to start up in the spring. Generally the egg size increases. This is why professional laying flocks turn over birds after their two year old molt starts. They just become unprofitable.

Unless your birds are starving, without adequate feed of any type, I don't think it will affect production.

Mrs K