[weedo]

Some advice please. Have 3 hens, 2 are 3 years old, one is a year old. Up until about 2 or 3 weeks ago all laying normally. The older ones less than young one. Now all egg laying has stopped. The hens all look healthy and have really red crops. They are not moulting. Hunted around the garden for secret egg laying places but nothing. They were wormed early spring. Any ideas. I am actually having to buy eggs. Not the same as home grown ones!!

[darkbrowneggs]

Laying away -  Try keeping them shut in their run for a day to see if there are any eggs - if they are laying away you should get some eggs. 

Egg eating - have they got grit and a good high protein diet, dark nest boxes etc.  I s there evidence of broken eggs, ie damp straw, bedding where they lay - they normally make an excellent job of eating them, so there isnt much tell-tale evidence

Vermin - are magpies, crow, rats squirrels etc getting in and taking the eggs

Lice / mites  - are they suffering from lice, or are there redmite in the coop, this is least likely as chickens affected by this have pale anemic looking combs

All the best
Sue

[Maybelle]

hi.  I am quite a newby, but I appear to be suffering the same problem as you.  Three hens we have had for 2 years have all stopped - well, we may get one egg per day.  One hen is definitely broody and think she's the only one laying.  We noticed her broodiness a few days ago and have to keep kicking her off the egg.  Apart from that, no idea why they're not laying. They have pellets, corn, grit and occasional treats.  They are in an Eglu with an extra large homemade enclosure.  They've been wormed regularly.  Absolutely stumped!  Are yours still the same or has anything worked to turn them around?  Is it just their age?  Thanks

[orchardlady]

If you have been through all that Sue has suggested I can only offer this comment. I've kept hens for a looong time now and over the years I've noticed almost a tide of egg laying. Periods during a season when nearly all the birds are laying and then a small decrease, then more eggs again. I've always put it down to the natural flow of their bodies. As they are not kept in battery house conditions with forced laying regimes by extended light  I think this is just the way it goes.

Orchardlady