Low Egg Production

[Sophia V]

I need some answers. I'm banging my head as to why my hens are not laying regularly. Excuse the long post, but I want to give a complete picture of what is and has been done.

My 3 hens, barred rocks are now a little over a year old. We have been getting eggs regularly until just recently. And I have examined everything and am banging my head.

They currently eat Kalbach Supreme Mash layer feed, my hens will not eat crumble or pellets. I have tried multiple brands over the course of the year to only gift away uneaten feed. I give them sardines in the morning with some rice, daily fresh food such as (kale, broccoli slaw, grass, corn, apple, sometimes watermelon). For treat they get dried meal worms or real red worms. They also have a constant supply of grit and oyster shell.

They free range in my yard and have ample water available, shade and space. At night they are penned up and roost on tree limbs I use as perches. They have 2 nesting boxes in a small coop with "Coop Clean" hay.

Their poop is within normal range and they are active and not looking or acting ill.

I have checked for mites and fleas and there is nothing. I put natural mite and parasite deterrent(Lime) in pen, coop and backyard. I also clean the pen every morning and the yard 2 times a day, so poop does not sit around. Once a week I hose down hard surfaces in my yard.

We live near the ocean, so our June tends to be cloudy, especially in morning, but clears by afternoon. (They were mostly giving us an egg a day, with occasional deviation from Jan - April).

There are no predators, we have a closed yard. Of course there are neighborhood dogs which bark, but this is not a new phenomenon. Hens have had it from the first. In addition to roaming heighborhood cats.

They are not eating the eggs, I have looked for remnants and they are not laying anywhere else.

Right now I am getting from 1 to 2 eggs a day. Some days there are none. I have my hens for eggs. I have given them vitamin supplements in their water with no change.

So, I either have lazy hens, spoiled Prima Donna hens or a food brand that inhibits egg production. They are not acting stressed since they lay in the yard, do regular dust baths, chat among themselves.

I have been researching everything and trying to rule out everything with no luck,

 

[nuthatched]

There's no food brand that inhibits egg production unless the batch itself is very old and low grade feed to begin with.
Cut out all the sardines, fruit and veggies, those are not helping. Those are diluting their nutrition. Especially kale, it can block vitamin absorption.
Is this a whole grain feed? What's its protein level?
Whole grain feeds have the issue of the hens picking and choosing what grains they eat, leaving them nutritionally lopsided. Whole grain feeds are usually are recommended to be served wet, so the vitamin powder doesn't fall to the bottom.
I would recommend you switch to a pelleted or crumble feed, I know you say they won't eat it but no healthy animal will not eat the available food.
They're just spoiled because they know they'll get somethings tastier if they wait long enough.

 

[Sophia V]

There's no food brand that inhibits egg production unless the batch itself is very old and low grade feed to begin with.
Cut out all the sardines, fruit and veggies, those are not helping. Those are diluting their nutrition. Especially kale, it can block vitamin absorption.
Is this a whole grain feed? What's its protein level?
Whole grain feeds have the issue of the hens picking and choosing what grains they eat, leaving them nutritionally lopsided. Whole grain feeds are usually are recommended to be served wet, so the vitamin powder doesn't fall to the bottom.
I would recommend you switch to a pelleted or crumble feed, I know you say they won't eat it but no healthy animal will not eat the available food.
They're just spoiled because they know they'll get somethings tastier if they wait long enough.

OK. I did not know about kale. The protein is 16% and yes a whole grain feed. No soy.

OK I will try. Thanks

 

[Sophia V]

OK. I did not know about kale. The protein is 16% and yes a whole grain feed. No soy.

OK I will try. Thanks

I just started fermenting and wetting the feed about 2 days ago.

 

[Perris]

There are lots of reasons why hens reduce laying, and though some people on BYC are very quick to point a finger at anything fed that is not commercial concentrate (without providing any evidence that it actually has anything to do with it), obvious candidates are illness, worms, going into an early moult, or simply winding down as their reserves (especially of calcium) become exhausted from months and months of laying.

It sounds like they have a very nice life with you. They may live long and provide you with eggs for many years on that sort of regime. But if you just want egg laying machines for a couple of years, maybe production reds would suit you better than barred rocks?

 

[nuthatched]

OK. I did not know about kale. The protein is 16% and yes a whole grain feed. No soy.

OK I will try. Thanks

Try to find a higher protein feed if possible, protein is essential.

 

[FunClucks]

Around 18 months, most chickens will have their first molt. If they are gearing up for that, they may stop laying for a few months. You may see feather loss, or they may eat the feathers.

If the hens turn broody, they may stop laying eggs, but you'll see broody behaviors also.

If you want to know which hens aren't laying, confine them one at a time in a large dog crate with food and water for a week, and make note of how many eggs they lay and what time of day they do it. (You can let them out whenever it's not time for an egg) This way you get a better picture of who is laying, who is not, and how often they are doing it.

Alternatively, put different colored food coloring just inside the vent of each hen. When they lay their next egg, it will have a swipe of color on it.

Sounds like someone has stopped laying or maybe they've all slowed down their production.

Another thing you can do is increase their protein intake, that can help improve their nutrition which can sometimes help laying resume. Feed a higher protein feed (18-20%, best and cheapest choice), or treat them with lean meat (low fat hamburger, steak, fish, chicken, all low-sodium) occasionally.

After 2 years, most chickens decrease their laying rate. One egg a day is expected from production layers, but for barred rocks, one egg every other day or so is actually quite good. Doesn't sound like your current lay rate is actually bad, considering the breed of birds you have. Rule of thumb is to keep twice the amount of heritage breed chickens for the amount of eggs you want per day.

Good luck figuring it out!

 

[Sophia V]

There are lots of reasons why hens reduce laying, and though some people on BYC are very quick to point a finger at anything fed that is not commercial concentrate (without providing any evidence that it actually has anything to do with it), obvious candidates are illness, worms, going into an early moult, or simply winding down as their reserves (especially of calcium) become exhausted from months and months of laying.

It sounds like they have a very nice life with you. They may live long and provide you with eggs for many years on that sort of regime. But if you just want egg laying machines for a couple of years, maybe production reds would suit you better than barred rocks?

Thanks. I thought I was feeding them fine. The bulk of their diet is the grain feed. I also use acv in their water. I am getting eggs, j7st not 1 a day from each. I may try wetting the feed they eat for better absorption.

 

[Sophia V]

Around 18 months, most chickens will have their first molt. If they are gearing up for that, they may stop laying for a few months. You may see feather loss, or they may eat the feathers.

If the hens turn broody, they may stop laying eggs, but you'll see broody behaviors also.

If you want to know which hens aren't laying, confine them one at a time in a large dog crate with food and water for a week, and make note of how many eggs they lay and what time of day they do it. (You can let them out whenever it's not time for an egg) This way you get a better picture of who is laying, who is not, and how often they are doing it.

Alternatively, put different colored food coloring just inside the vent of each hen. When they lay their next egg, it will have a swipe of color on it.

Sounds like someone has stopped laying or maybe they've all slowed down their production.

Another thing you can do is increase their protein intake, that can help improve their nutrition which can sometimes help laying resume. Feed a higher protein feed (18-20%, best and cheapest choice), or treat them with lean meat (low fat hamburger, steak, fish, chicken, all low-sodium) occasionally.

After 2 years, most chickens decrease their laying rate. One egg a day is expected from production layers, but for barred rocks, one egg every other day or so is actually quite good. Doesn't sound like your current lay rate is actually bad, considering the breed of birds you have. Rule of thumb is to keep twice the amount of heritage breed chickens for the amount of eggs you want per day.

Good luck figuring it out!

That might be it. I am seeing some feathers here and there, but thought it was normal. I thought they melted in fall. That is why I give them sardines for the protein and other nutrients.

OK. I am getting one every other day or so. I thought barred rocks were good layers.

 

[StinkyAcres]

What's the temperature where you are? Hens will often slow down laying if it's really hot. Barred Rocks are good layers, but don't expect an egg every single day from each of them. A day or two of rest in between laying is good for them - producing eggs is hard on their bodies.