Chickens Laying Eggs

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Gingersnap1945

Gingersnap1945

Hatching
Oct 21, 2015
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I've had my 3 chickens for about 6mos now...and I've never gotten 3 eggs from them. I've gotten 1 or 2 a day but never 3. When I bought them the lady said they were "around" 1 1/2 to 2yrs old. Now they are giving us AN EGG every 2 or 3 days....I'm wondering why. This has been going on for 2mos...now of course they are starting to molt. I've heard they stop laying when they molt. Well these little girls started this not laying well before the molt. I'm new at this & we're doing this just because we've never done it...we love sitting outside & watching & talking to the girls. I give them treats, lettuce & the food the farm supply store told us to give to them, plus what other chicken people have told us about....they are eating good. So why weren't they laying before the molt started?
Thank you ahead of time for your help....& will my girls start laying normally again after the molting is over?
 
They will quit laying to molt, they generally will resume laying after the daylight lengthen, mine start in February and March. Not every hen lays every day, a lot of breeds lay 3-5 eggs a week, they do their best laying during their first season, so your hens are getting older for chickens so they will lay less until they quit totally, most of mine will stop after 6 years.
 
Two of my girls are Rhode Island Reds & the other is a Dominecker..lol I rechecked & we've had them since last Spring (April) & they have never ALL given me eggs at the same time. So I have no idea who isn't giving me an egg. So do you know when these particular hens stop laying totally? I appreciate your help & info....we're just learning as we go. We bought grown chickens, we really didn't want to bother with chicks. BUT I'm thinking that when my girls stop laying, maybe that would be the best way to go...
 
Every hen is different, your hens should continue to lay for another 2-4 years than on and off, though the amount they lay in a season will continue to decrease each year. I have found that half my birds die from something by age 4, and the other half make it a few years more, my oldest was 9, so odds are you will lose a hen or two in the next two years.
 
Aww that's so sad, to know I'm gonna lose my girls. But I don't have to worry about what they die from? Thank you so much for all the info you've given me. It's been really helpful to me. Oh yea, do your girls like collards & turnip greens? I've planted some & hoping they like them. They love lettuce & don't care for cabbage at all....lol Thanks again....
 
Gingersnap1945 said:
Aww that's so sad, to know I'm gonna lose my girls. But I don't have to worry about what they die from? Thank you so much for all the info you've given me. It's been really helpful to me. Oh yea, do your girls like collards & turnip greens? I've planted some & hoping they like them. They love lettuce & don't care for cabbage at all....lol Thanks again....
Click to expand...

Mine gobble collards and turnip greens down like they were caviar! The first time I fed them greens, they were very cautious about approaching the food. An older hen ran in and started eating, then the younger birds came in too.
 
Yes, they like anything that's green, pretty much. You are right about the cabbage, though. Mine don't like it either, but will eat lettuce. I try to alternate treats from different sources. Fruits one time, protein (mealworms or sunflower seeds) the next, scratch, then veggies. That way, they get what they need from their feed and don't fill up on stuff that will affect their egg laying due to less protein!
 

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