Where did my blue eggs go?

Around The Farm
#1

I have 2 Easter Eggers that have stopped laying.
It’s been at least 2 weeks since I’ve had a blue egg in the nest box.
Other 4 hens (other breeds) are still laying - 2-4 eggs daily.
1 is a little over a year old, the other I got fully grown, so not sure of her age.
They are acting normally, eating, drinking, crops feel good.
The newer hen is even regrowing back feathers the previous owner’s roosters had pulled out.

I’ve checked the coop & fenced yard for Stealthnests. This flock does not free-range.

Where are my blue eggs? :disappointed_relieved:

#2

Has it been hot where you are? A lot of hens shut down in the heat. Easter Eggers are often iffy layers, anyway. I find egg production drops now when the temps are consistently hot, and then drops more as they begin to molt in late summer/early fall. Not sure if there’s much to be done!

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#3

Sigh…
We have had a truly Psycho Psummer.
Hottest June on record. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
But they laid through the worst of that.
I have been seeing shed feathers, so a moult occurred to me too.
I can be patient… If I have to.
Actually, with just me here, a daily egg is more than enough, no matter the color :grin:

#4

The answer is most definitely more chickens! :grin::grin:

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#5

I still think they are hiding them somehow. Chickens are really sneaky when they want to be.

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#6

The usual culprits are parasites (internal and external), weather, and molt. Hard telling sometimes.

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#7

We just treated ours for parasites this time of year. All the wild birds are very active and can easily contaminate chicken yards.

We keep an eye out for mites as well. We got them one year and treated the coop and the chickens with insecticidal soap. Worked great.

Another stressor are flies and other pests. If you see fly hatches, maybe try changing bedding more often.

Check to see if the feed is being contaminated with mice or rats. They will eat and poop in feeders left out overnight. We put our feed in the metal feed can overnight. Chickens don’t eat when they roost anyway. Coccidiosis can come from rodents. Corid works.

Even too much mud can upset layers.

#8

No way.
I have gone over every inch of the fenced yard & inside the coop.
Unless they are opening the door to the part of the coop that was a smokeroom (former owner smoked things) & then closing it behind them & carefully replacing the odds & ends stacked against the door…

I checked for mites when one hen was getting bare spots near her tail.
Nope, rooster damage.
I need to blunt his 4" Spurs :unamused:

#9

Jingles for your luck to turn around ~ AO ~ you’ve had some challenges lately !

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