[BML]

 Our three chickens are about three years old and used to give us three eggs a day stopping for a short while in the Winter. This Spring only two of our chickens laid eggs then that stopped and now only one chicken is laying. A month or so ago two of them showed mucky bottoms and I was asked if I had wormed them yet to which I had to reply I had not. I was advised to buy some treated feed and the bottoms cleared up but still only one egg a day.  I would like to know if there is anything I can do to return them to all to laying or is what happened normal?
 

[macgro7]

What type of chickens are they? Commercial high performance hybrids or more traditional breeds?
If theb1st then it is perfectly normal for them to wear themselves out after around 2-3 years - chickens will only ever lay around 600 eggs in the lifetimes. More traditional breeds will have their egg laying more spread out during the years, I.e. Will less ler year bit for more years.

[harmony]

You can tell if a chicken is laying by it's comb and wattles so if they have really red ones they are laying but maybe not in the nest box. If you think they are laying out keep them in for longer.


If they aren't laying maybe change the feed. Check for parasites (on birds and in hut).


As macgro7 breed could be a factor.


Are you sure of their age?

[BML]

 I spoke to the Chicken seller who said they are hybrids so it looks like I’m stuffed but the problem is I’m not inclined to kill them and I doubt anyone would take them as pets so it looks as though I have to keep feeding them, cleaning them out and getting a little exercise walking up and down the garden while I do it but thanks for your information.
 

[twizzel]

My hybrids have slowed down in the last month, some are about the same age as yours. As above age is probably a factor, and the heat will put them off lay too. If they started laying in jan or feb they could be thinking about moulting too.


My 14 hens are giving me between 4 and 8 eggs a day. But they’re happy and healthy, not pushed, and I’ve got 9 pullets coming into the flock for more eggs next year.

[Fleecewife]

It could be that only one hen is laying an egg a day, but could it not also be that all three hens are laying one egg every three days as they slow down?
It is usual to buy in some younger hens every now and then, never one or she will be picked on, but at least two to keep production going as your first birds get older. 
We keep our older hens as well, even if they don't appear to be laying any more, but they usually pop out a surprise egg once in a while, and tend to pass on their wisdom to the younger hens.
I agree that the heat is probably not helping - our nine hens are laying a couple of eggs a day and we suspect someone is laying away in a secret spot we haven't found yet, with a view to raising chicks.


With hen keeping, you can either go the intensive route and work your birds to death, with lighting and heavy laying, or you can go the more natural route, keeping birds which stop laying in the autumn while they moult and build themselves up again for more eggs in the spring, unstressed and healthy.  I know which route I prefer 

[macgro7]

Another option is they might have learnt to eat eggs - have they been dirty? Did you see any broken pieces of shell?

[doganjo]

My Wyandottes are sporadic layers but that's the way that breed is. Beautiful but not productive

[Womble]

> One egg from three chickens!


Stop bragging please!