Low Egg Production

[Sophia V]

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.

The temperature by me is right now is mid to high 60s. Summer is usually low to mid 80s. Sometimes we will get a hot spell in August, but by the ocean it usually is low 90s.

Good to know about the eggs. The chicken sources I have read before getting chickens gave barred rocks a high laying ratio. But if they are doing what is normal, I am glad I asked. Thank you.

 

[FunClucks]

Production hens, like white leghorns, red-sexlinks (ISA Brown, Golden Comet, and a number of other breeds) are bred to give one egg a day. But they often die of reproductive issues or cancer around 2-4 years old. A production hen that lives to 4 years old or more is really old. Even the production hens slow production after 2 years old from one egg a day to less than that (one egg every other day, every few days? Depends on the hen). This is why commercial operations use commercial production layers and sell or process their flocks when the hens turn 2.

Heritage birds typically give 3-5 eggs per week (sometimes more, but it depends on the strain and breed of the bird) and can live 7-12 years or more, depending on the breed of the bird and on the individual chicken. So they give the same amount or more eggs, but over a longer time period. Over their lifetimes, and even over the first two years, they use more feed to produce each egg than the production hens do, but can have longer life and better health in the long term.

Your barred rocks have the potential to be healthy layers for many years. I've found that after molt feathers are again gorgeous and sometimes eggs can be larger/defect free / improved color. Enjoy your hens!

 

[Sophia V]

Production hens, like white leghorns, red-sexlinks (ISA Brown, Golden Comet, and a number of other breeds) are bred to give one egg a day. But they often die of reproductive issues or cancer around 2-4 years old. A production hen that lives to 4 years old or more is really old. Even the production hens slow production after 2 years old from one egg a day to less than that (one egg every other day, every few days? Depends on the hen). This is why commercial operations use commercial production layers and sell or process their flocks when the hens turn 2.

Heritage birds typically give 3-5 eggs per week (sometimes more, but it depends on the strain and breed of the bird) and can live 7-12 years or more, depending on the breed of the bird and on the individual chicken. So they give the same amount or more eggs, but over a longer time period. Over their lifetimes, and even over the first two years, they use more feed to produce each egg than the production hens do, but can have longer life and better health in the long term.

Your barred rocks have the potential to be healthy layers for many years. I've found that after molt feathers are again gorgeous and sometimes eggs can be larger/defect free / improved color. Enjoy your hens!

Thank you!!!

 

[Sophia V]

Thank you everyone. I think one of my best layers is not laying because it seems she is going through a soft molt. My hens are 15 months old and the lack of sunlight due to overcast skies could have spurred this on. I know it is a molt because her entire butt is bare and I keep finding more and more feathers over the past few weeks. Especially when they sleep. I just thought a feather here or there was normal. But this morning there was a nice little pile.

There are no pecking wounds, so I know she is not being pecked. They all are like 3 peas in a pod, where you see one you see the other 2. They sit together, bathe together etc.

I do see many new feathers coming in. I thought they usually molt in the fall, but did read around 15 months they could do a soft molt.

Thanks for all the help.