[Highfield]

Eggs have dropped from a regular 8 a day from my 10 girls, to 6 then 4 and today 1 .... Only change is the weather.  No signs of moulting and they are eating well.  Lots of water out for them and they have shade.

Any ideas???

[Roughlee Handled]

Over what time period has the drop occurred?
What do you feed them?
What breed are they?
How old?

[Highfield]

over four days.  They are Ex batts we had in December last and fed on good layers pellets on demand in a feeder, with mash served as porridge once a day - they get extra grit and oystershell if they want it in a hopper.  They also get sweetcorn or a few live meal worms each (I breed them cos its easy and they are cheaper that way!) about twice a week as a treat.

[Roughlee Handled]

It could be anything. They could be all coming up for a partial or a full moult.  Are you seeing feathers on the ground? 

Have they moulted since you have had them?

Strange how production has declined so sharply.

Suppose they all look happy?

No changes recently in there environment/routine?

[Highfield]

No it is mystifying - Last week (and for weeks before) 8 or 9 a day as regular as clockwork - Saturday we had only 6, then Sunday 4 and today 1!!

No changes to anything that we are aware of - all routines as usual.  They are all perky and jumping up for their mash as usual - combs red and upright and as chatty as ever.  No signs of feathers - the odd one perhaps but that is all. Am even checking round their paddock to see if laying outside but ... nothing!! No egg shells even to indicate a possible predator. 

They were well feathered when we had them as they had just had their moult so that is about 6 months ago.

Have also checked of course for red mite and lice but no sign of any parasites at all.

[Roughlee Handled]

Must be there annual summer holiday from laying.  Do not worry it will pick up in two weeks.

May be its a blip. Keep an eye on them.

[Highfield]

I shall - thank you!  I will stop panicking quite so much now 

[Roughlee Handled]

I really have no clue. Just keep an eye on them though.

[Highfield]

well it has happened again!  A steady 7 or 8 eggs a day since the last day without,  until today - just nothing - no broken ones or outside ones and I KNOW one was anxious to get in a nest box when I was cleaning the newspaper out this morning.

All look very healthy - poos are normal, they are all eating like horses and drinking well. Can't be the hot weather this time ,,,,

Am now getting paranoid and wondering about CCTV ... 

[too many girls]

maybe their having a break, i think mine are, i got loads of eggs, then it dropped to 2 or 3 then loads again and today..........nothing, not one egg out of 25 hens, miserly things

[Caralou]

Mine stopped laying when it was really warm, has only just picked back up to all of them laying today. They ate less while it was warm which I think had the knock on effect of reducing their laying.

[funky chicken]

am not sure as v new to this,but I have read that a hen takes 26-27 hours to make an eg,so that their laying time moves forward up to 2 hrs a day,there fore in any 8 day period they can be expected to have a day without laying.Could it be that your girlies are all having their 'day off' on the same day?
As I said this is just a guess.We've not even got ours yet,am still at the research/preparation stage.

[Flowerpower136]

Could someone else be taking the eggs?

Poaching is alive and well I'm afraid.

If not human, what about squirrels? 

[Roughlee Handled]

Could someone else be taking the eggs?

Poaching is alive and well I'm afraid.

If not human, what about squirrels? 

I do not think squirrels have the facilities to poach eggs, or even the knowledge. Lets face it unless they have a pound how can they get to the pound shop to purchase one of those poaching pans they couldn't.

[Foxy]

Could someone else be taking the eggs?

Poaching is alive and well I'm afraid.

If not human, what about squirrels? 

 
I do not think squirrels have the facilities to poach eggs, or even the knowledge. Lets face it unless they have a pound how can they get to the pound shop to purchase one of those poaching pans they couldn't.