1 egg from 25 hens!

[boykin2010]

I guess it is because of the heat but yesterday i only got one egg from 25 of my fully grown laying hens. I have been averaging about 5 eggs this month so far, which that isnt too great either

Is anyone else experiencing a drop in egg production from their hens? When do you suspect they will pick back up?

 

[abercrombie575]

Do you have a snake? Or another critter that is eating your eggs. I mean one egg from 25 hens is NOT the norm, right? I thought my girls were slowing down too until I found their secret nest under the nesting boxes - there were about 20 eggs in there!
Just my opinion but you need to investigate more closely.

 

[ccrow]

How old are your hens? I have year-old golden comets and it's a big day if I get more than one egg... they all seem quite healthy but they're a bunch of slackers, lol! I'm also still getting some soft-shells under the roost.

 

[ccrow]

^^After posting that, I went out and had >drum roll< THREE eggs!!!

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

They could all be starting to molt. A lot of mine are molting now, and production drops if not ceases entirely when they molt.

 

[boykin2010]

There is absolutely no places for the eggs to be hidden. There are also no snakes, or anything else. Some of my hens are going through a severe molt. I noticed some of my best layers are actually the ones who have the worst molt going on right now. Maybe it is just because it is so hot, and they are molting. Anyway, i have gotten 5 today so far. I guess things arent that bad. I would be mad if i was only getting 1 egg everyday though.
ccrow you are absolutely right! I have threatened my hens within an inch of their life that they better start laying. They are such SLACKERS

 

[Johnn]

i have 9 hens and i got 2 eggs off them in three days and then none after that! i was really sad because i will ahve to buy eggs now and i only really like my own because i know were they havew came from...

 

[ccrow]

boykin, I only have seven hens(plus four pullets) so three eggs is pretty exciting, percentage-wise! The hens did molt, but not what I would call a heavy molt by any means... the little buggers must know I like them too much to send them to freezer camp.

 

[boykin2010]

I think mine are thinking along the same lines as yours. Mine are going through a pretty heavy molt so i guess i will give them a little more time to pick up. I have one hen who has no feathers at all on our breast. It looks really weird. IF i was going to get mad and butcher some hens, i guess i wouldnt have to pluck many feathers

Maybe you and some others should look into red pepper. I give mine red pepper during the fall and spring when they arent laying well. I wouldnt give them any right now because it is so hot, i dont think it would be good for them. BUT when it cools down and they still dont increase, i will put a tablespoon or so of crushed red pepper in their food and that makes them crank up the egg production. Maybe you should look into it. It worked for me last year. I went from 2 eggs to 8 eggs a day two days after giving them the red pepper. At that time i only had 10 hens so 8 eggs was a lot!
I think the pepper makes them drink more water, which in turn makes them lay more eggs