[Apprentice]

I have had my four hens for a month and they have been laying well right from the off.  There was a storm on Monday which I expected to put them off laying but its now Saturday and egg laying has dropped off to virtually nothing.  I know they're not laying out of sight as they are enclosed and I've checked both their runs and the coop.  Any ideas?

[marygall]

I don't know why your hens have stopped laying but so have mine - I've had mine since February and they've been pretty consistant layers. I wondered if mine might be going into an early moult?
How old are your hens?

[Apprentice]

They were newly point of lay (or so I was told) when we got them so they're no more than six months old tops I would say.

[marygall]

If they seem otherwise healthy and you're giving them plenty of crushed oyster shell and layer pellets, you could try poultry spice or poultry drink to give them a boost and check for vermin?
No problems with mites or lice?
I'm giving you the same advice I'm following myself. My two older girls look very healthy but have just stopped laying. The two point of lay hens haven't come into lay yet.
I remember when I got the older girls they were a bit sporadic when they started to lay and I believe that it's the same with point of lay hens only perhaps more so.
I'd just keep an eye on them and wait it out...

[purplebat]

I do find that my girls can be very temperamental with their laying according to the weather; if it's too hot, cold, wet etc. it seems to put them off, mine have gone off the lay but I think it's down to the stoat's visit, and I've introduced new birds which always gives them the hump, hope that helps 

[chasechicken]

Again, can't offer much advice but mine are also laying less frequently than before (was 3 a day (we only have 3 hens) for the past couple of months).

My neighbour has had hens for a while and his have stopped too - he says it's the weather so I'm hoping if it starts to settle a bit we'll be back into full production...

[marygall]

My hens had three days off and are now back to normal - I'll up thier protein and calcium for a while to make sure everything's ok.
Hope everybody else's hens have been the same and refound thier form!
Somedays I don't feel very productive - who can blame them...