Egg efficiency in the winter?

frog3toad said:

Sounds low to me.
I have light and supplemental heat

If you really want eggs, supplemental light is the way to go.

Click to expand...

aart said:

I'd bet there's a big pile out here somewhere...another disadvantage to free ranging and smaller confinement areas.

Click to expand...

Desp said:

Quote: Umm, yeah, probably.
Just because you put up more nests doesn't mean they all will use them.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 3-4 days can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

Click to expand...

Desp said:

Well this kind of applies to my question. I did recently find a pile of about 20 eggs, that 3 hens had been laying for a week or so. I built them some more nesting boxes and they're using those now. If I'm getting 40 eggs / day at this time of year, and have 70 hens... are 30 eggs / day being laid somewhere else?

Click to expand...