16 hens laying, only getting 12-13????

[aart]

and I KNOW they are laying only in the 3 nesting areas in the barn.

UhHuh.......maybe.
Best to confine them to the coop if you really want to be sure.

 

[Katanahamon]

Major dillema here friends!!! I may sound dumb, but this is one ques. i've had for a while. I have 16 hens currently laying, and I KNOW they are laying only in the 3 nesting areas in the barn. But every day, i'll get a different number of eggs. 2 days ago, I got 10 eggs. Yesterday I got 9 eggs. Then today I got 13 eggs! What's with the different # of eggs a day?? Thank you all!!!

I’ve been doing research on food, nutrition, yolk color etc. There are foods that can allegedly encourage, or lessen rates of lay..here’s a great article on yolk color..
https://www.veterinariadigital.com/en/articulos/the-egg-yolk-color-and-pigments/

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The polish are the ones that are dragging the number down. They aren't the best layers typically and they mature later than everyone. If these are under 6 nonths, odds are they're not laying yet

 

[WIchickMama]

The polish are the ones that are dragging the number down. They aren't the best layers typically and they mature later than everyone. If these are under 6 nonths, odds are they're not laying yet

Agreed. My 2 Polish just turned 6 months today and 1 laid last Sat (first egg) and yesterday and the other laid her 1st yesterday...nothing today. I think they only average 150ish eggs a year

 

[Hopelives07]

My Buff orps lay every day, so does my barred rock.

My other chickens take breaks. Sometimes they lay every day, sometimes every other day

Oh good to know! I have both of those breeds!

 

[Hopelives07]

UhHuh.......maybe.
Best to confine them to the coop if you really want to be sure.

I'm sure she knows her girls better than we do.

 

[aart]

I'm sure she knows her girls better than we do.

You probably missed my point.
Unless the birds are confined to an area with no hiding places,
you can never be sure if you are finding all the eggs they lay.

 

[Hopelives07]

You probably missed my point.
Unless the birds are confined to an area with no hiding places,
you can never be sure if you are finding all the eggs they lay.

Well...I have a small area for I do not have acreage. I'm positive they can't hide eggs from me. But your point is well taken that it's always good to have a double check.

 

[aart]

Well...I have a small area for I do not have acreage. I'm positive they can't hide eggs from me. But your point is well taken that it's always good to have a double check.

Well... I was addressing the OP's issue

 

[Chickenlicken444]

Well...I have a small area for I do not have acreage. I'm positive they can't hide eggs from me. But your point is well taken that it's always good to have a double check.

I had a chicken dig a hole and lay an egg in it under the nesting box. The egg was the same color as the dirt so we missed it for a couple days. Chickens can be sneaky!