There are several things you mentioned that might affect your birds. I've had them do things like that too.
When he cleaned the coop did he also disturb or remove all their favorite laying spots? Not necessarily nest boxes, but wherever else they preferred to lay? I'd look around real well, under things, behind things, on top of things, in corners, outside. And also look to see if there are traces of egg yolk where somebody is eating eggs.
And if there was much bedding in there, it probably turned a lot of ammonia loose, as well as getting them all flustered. And nobody does that better than chickens!
Yes, they'll quit in up and down weather, especially if it gets real cloudy. They respond strongly to light.
And are they getting enough food and water? Did he by chance put in new water dishes they can tip over, or somebody hog it. And they need grit to grind their food, either off the ground or you need to provide some. Comes in a bag at the store if you need it.
Did you change feed? Some are better than others. Or at least the hens respond to some better than others.
So take your hatchet out and wave it around and shout "Colonel Sanders is watching you!", sometimes that works too.
And see who's trying to set. They won't lay either. If they're all the same breed, they might all want to set at once. Collect the eggs later in the day, feel if they're warm. See if somebody is still in a nest box or other spot along in the afternoon, she might be trying to set.
Are you sure you still have 38 hens? One of the things raccoons do is take one a night. Quietly, entire, nothing left behind. Chickens move around so much that it takes a while before you notice there's a bunch of them missing. Then he'll bring his family and take all the rest at once some night. Look for a tuft of hair caught on the fence. Or just keep the birds in carefully at night and set a Havahart trap, see what you get.
Look for rat droppings, little black bits. They might be stealing a lot of the food.
Well----while I'm thinking about it----look for signs of people. It's possible that somebody is stealing your eggs I suppose. Tie a dog over there and pay attention if it barks.
Or---it's just the vagaries of chickens.
Really, I think your best bet is the weather. Takes at least 2 good sunny days for them to lay again after a couple of bad ones.
Give it a few days, it's spring and things are improving, but slowly, at least where I am, in the north also.
Diane S.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2013 10:32 PM
Subject: [CHICKENS-101] Declining egg laying
Good Evening,
We have a small farm in NE Colorado where we raise butcher hogs and dairy goats along with our flock of hens. I use the milk from the goats to feed out the pigs as well as to make goat milk soaps and other bath products.
Being new to raising chickens and I have a question. We have 38 hens and 1 rooster ranging 1n age of 1 year to 3 years of age. We raised the yearlings from chicks last spring and bought the 3 year old. We've had some really bad cold spells in the last month plus warm weather. My husband cleaned the coop and built a new roost for them last Friday. Since he did that our egg product has gone down from 24 to 27 eggs a day about a month ago to today only 5 eggs. He thinks they are reacting to his cleaning but we don't know for sure.
Can anyone shed some light on what is going on with them? We've not changed their feed or anything along that line.
Thank you for any help you can send our way and for letting me join the group.
Jennifer
NE CO
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