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I have my three "Hyline brown" hybrid hens, they were first year layers form a poultry farm and are nownearing the end of their first molt aged about 20 months I think- with most of their feathers looking splendid. we have just moved I have finally made them a new yard and shelter and I would like to know what I can do to encourage them to lay again as paying for eggs upsets me!

I think you really need to leave them to it, make them comfortable and leave them to settle in again.... I don't know if a little cider vinegar in their water might give them a wee perk (wouldn't hurt anyway)

Re you sure their not laying in a bush somewhere - It has happened to me before... one day I found 20 eggs under the hedge

Are they getting some layers pellets? I agree with Ann above re laying under a bush, once they start they"ll keep goin there. Did you try locking them up in home for a day, if there laying they will use the nestbox, i put some straw in the nestbox and once they make a nest 9 times out of 10 all your eggs will end up there. It worked for me.

They haven't laid for about 2 months but they were molting. they get layer pellets with 14% protein everyday as well as pecking about their own small yard, I have been feeding them some cheese I don't like for the last couple of days and have put some vinegar in the water too, maybe as Ann Pan says they need some more time to settle in after the move, the molt etc. Once I popped them in an overgrown vegie bed with a temporary shelter and fence to scratch up the weeds and they all stopped laying until I moved them back a week later!

Could they be eating their own eggs?

they do occasionally, although they usually leave most of the shell, on a couple of occasions, mine had left very little trace tht tey had laid!

You could hold them over their nest boxes & squeeze them a little, Jess.......

Yes, I'm kidding
Chooks seem to be a law unto themselves don't they? I have been missing a duck egg each day... I only had 9 a day for the last 3 days.... then saw the bassets snuffling in a bank so went to explore. And found a proper straw lined nest at the base of a tree with 3 blue eggs in it!! I know which duck it is too, she is going to be punished... actually, it's my only runner girl, so maybe she should be popped into a broody box

I'm not going to be much help but each time I see your title it reminds me of one of my son's favourite books "down on the farm of poor old Joe, the hens won't lay and the crops won't grow..."
I don't think his solution will help you either - a dog playing guitar, fox on the fiddle, rabbit with a concertina and a bear playing bass...

Sorry

Ahh well it made me laugh and that is def. worthwhile!

I did sing an encouraging song to them the other day and today an egg! I had a feeling there would be one- I saw a pale comb and the nesting box looked different! Hurray!

yay!

What did you sing? Might be a market for "songs to get a lay" (you know what I mean!)

oh that's an idea, I wonder what it was, probably the Bob the Builder theme song as that seems to be always in my head and is very encouraging for one's work ethic although nothing to do with chickens.

I have had seven proper eggs in the last week so we may be through the moult now! Thanks for the advice, off to feed the, give them some vinegar and sing Bob the builder song to them now!

Yay! Glad to hear things are on the up :)

Keep on singing... LOL!

Sounds like you are back on track now. If they stop again, try putting a fake egg (pot egg?) in the nest box. It's worked for me several times now. It seems to encourage them and shows them where to lay if they start nesting elsewhere.

Zoe