PoultryTalk.com

hi I have five laying hens and between them they produce two to three eggs each day. this went down to one or two in the winter. For the last few days- no eggs at all! The only change in their lives has been I have two young girls, aged about 12 weeks in a run near by. I have tried to mingle the hens with the older ones being a bit too bossy. So I kept them separate although they can 'speak' through the fence. My question is: why have they stopped laying and how can I get them to start again!!!!!!

Weather can intervene in the process of egg laying hens can stop due to high tempretures,heavey rain fall or storms can put them off they will pick up again soon try giving them some ACV ((apple cyder viniger from a good poultry supplier not the supermarket))

Sine the weather has been pretty changable lately it maybe more then likely due to one of the above it also wouldn't hurt to check for red mite/parasites in the coop as this can also be a cause of a drop in egg production hens often will not lay if parasites are preasent you can check by running a paper towel over corners and creveces in the coop on perches little red dots will indicate red mite you can treat with red mite, to check for lice have a good look through the birds feathers near and around the base of the tail lice are very easily missed unless your really looking these would be the most common causes of lack of egg production.

Hi Dahlian

It may be that your chickens/hens are going into a moult, which means they lose and regrow their feathers

Has the quality of the egg shells been poor lately. Are the egg shells thin, or have there been no shells at all on the eggs.

Are the chickens loosing any feathers

All this may mean they are beginning to moult. There are more details at www.darkbrowneggs.info/moulting

All the best
Susan

They maybe eating the eggs. After one of my chickens died the others turned to eat the eggs. LOok around the nest box to see if there is any remains of shell and yolk.