Only 1 of 4 hens laying (2 years old)

[Sara211]

My 4 hens (2 Easter Eggs, 1 Golden Comet, 1 Black Australorp) all laid eggs their first summer into winter. They slowed down in the winter, as expected (I'm in NJ, USA). In the spring (last year), 1 Easter Egger didn't lay much but the other 3 were very consistent. In the fall, we upgraded their coop into something much bigger and that will accommodate a growing flock size (we have not yet added any birds). Around 2 months ago, as the days were getting longer and the weather warmer, all the birds except the Black Australorp, quit laying with the exception of 2 fairy eggs from one of the Easter Eggers. Besides the coop, the only other change has been that the tarp covering the run was ripped off during a windstorm. I haven't replaced it as I am going to build a new, bigger run, with a hard roof this spring.

I have tried giving them yogurt and other treats to make sure they are getting protein and calcium. We've kept the coop and run pretty clean, although we can always do better. What should I try to get them laying again?

 

[Mrs. K]

I would sit out there with coffee, and watch them most of the morning? When I have a sudden decrease - they have a hidden nest. And yes I know you are sure there is not one, but I have had them hide a nest in plane view. Or sneak into the smallest of holes and be behind somehing. It would be highly unusual for all of them to not be laying this time of year, unless they were in a severe starvation mode.

You should examine them carefully, checking the width of their pubic bones, to see if they are laying. If they really are not laying, I would cull and start over.

Mrs K

 

[rosemarythyme]

Cut out or cut down the treats, if you're using a commercial feed that's just messing with their nutritional intake.

Do you free range at all?

 

[Sara211]

Ditto Dat!
What all and how exactly are you feeding.

They have a feeder in their run full of Purina Layer Crumble. I was giving them fresh fruit (watermelon/raspberries/blueberries... basically whatever was leftover from my toddler), yogurt, and some treat mixes I purchased at my local farm store. Never at the same time; they would only get one treat per day. Since the suggestion to stop, I haven't given any more.

 

[Sara211]

I would sit out there with coffee, and watch them most of the morning? When I have a sudden decrease - they have a hidden nest. And yes I know you are sure there is not one, but I have had them hide a nest in plane view. Or sneak into the smallest of holes and be behind somehing. It would be highly unusual for all of them to not be laying this time of year, unless they were in a severe starvation mode.

You should examine them carefully, checking the width of their pubic bones, to see if they are laying. If they really are not laying, I would cull and start over.

Mrs K

This is a good suggestion. I may actually get a camera and put in the coop pointed at the boxes too, just to see if I have an egg eater.

I'm not going to cull the flock. My family loves them like pets so eggs or not, we will keep them.

 

[Sara211]

Cut out or cut down the treats, if you're using a commercial feed that's just messing with their nutritional intake.

Do you free range at all?

Interesting. I can try that.

No free ranging. It’s far too dangerous where I live… far too many predators.

 

[aart]

Cut out or cut down the treats, if you're using a commercial feed that's just messing with their nutritional intake.

Ditto Dat!
What all and how exactly are you feeding.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I'm currently feeding fermented Scratch & Peck starter and dry Payback organic hatch-to-hen, but I currently have chicks. My usual feed with an all adult flock would be fermented S&P grower (though I might stick with starter from now on) and dry Payback organic layer.

I don't get a lot of eggs but my hens are all past their prime (they range from 4-8 years old), hence the new chicks.

I currently feed my hens fermented S&P grower mash too, but give them new country organics gamebird crumbles as free-choice dry feed. They mostly eat S&P grower, which is only 17% protein, so a small amount 26% protein gamebird crumbles on top of it makes it just right.

I have some hens not laying, so no layer feed.

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

No need to apologize, if you feel it's detrimental to the birds then don't use it. The feeds I use don't have it, if that's something you're actively avoiding. But until my chicks come into lay, I'm unlikely to get more than 2 eggs a day out of 8 hens... that's what I get for choosing decorative birds over layers, and for not culling as birds age out of laying years.

I have a hard time with the age culling thing personally. I never have more than 40 so is not a real issue here. I let them "retire", usually find them a couple years after retirement, peacefully expired, and then they go into the back pasture for the local wildlife to recycle.

 

[koleary99]

My six, three-y.o. chickens have done the same, and I have to question whether one egg every other day is worth the cost of feed.