Why am I not getting as many eggs as I should be?

[PirateGirl]

So were you previously getting more eggs and you have had a drop in production or is this the most eggs you have ever gotten?

You said you did a full coop clean, were there a lot of feathers in the bedding when you did this?

At 1.5 years these birds are probably just finishing up a molt and starting to come back into lay. The 9 month olds may or may not have ever started laying since they hit maturity at the same time of year that days started getting shorter.

How do their combs look in general? Big and bright red or smaller and pale?

You can check for mites in the evening (after dark in the coop, so after your light has been off for a bit) by taking a white sheet of paper and running it along the roost... if it's covered with red smears, you've still got a mite problem.

 

[PirateGirl]

Also, even with your supplemental, those in your flock that are heritage breeds vs. production birds may not be the most prolific layers.

 

[13Bettys]

I realize people either want or need to sell their eggs. At the risk of rudeness. I will say that chickens are not robot. They don't produce sometimes as we want them to. It's like any other "business". ups and downs. Again I will ask what level of protein are you feeding?

Selling the eggs is not the main concern. The money I get from the eggs goes back into the chickens. It’s more about making sure my birds are healthy! I do not know the percent off hand. I feed a layer feed. I do not have a bag at this time. There feed goes into a container that I scoop it out of. I just know that they should be laying more than they are so I’m concerned.

 

[13Bettys]

So were you previously getting more eggs and you have had a drop in production or is this the most eggs you have ever gotten?

You said you did a full coop clean, were there a lot of feathers in the bedding when you did this?

At 1.5 years these birds are probably just finishing up a molt and starting to come back into lay. The 9 month olds may or may not have ever started laying since they hit maturity at the same time of year that days started getting shorter.

How do their combs look in general? Big and bright red or smaller and pale?

You can check for mites in the evening (after dark in the coop, so after your light has been off for a bit) by taking a white sheet of paper and running it along the roost... if it's covered with red smears, you've still got a mite problem.

I have gotten up to 17 eggs in a day around Christmas. There were not very many feathers in the bedding when I cleaned the coop. Most combs look like they have started laying, big and red. I will try that trick with the paper tonight. Thank you

 

[WindingRoad]

Selling the eggs is not the main concern. The money I get from the eggs goes back into the chickens. It’s more about making sure my birds are healthy! I do not know the percent off hand. I feed a layer feed. I do not have a bag at this time. There feed goes into a container that I scoop it out of. I just know that they should be laying more than they are so I’m concerned.

Higher Protein levels will increase egg production right along with health of your bird. If they have recently molted they need higher protein; feathers are mostly protein. They can't produce egg and regrow protein rich feathers at the same time.

 

[13Bettys]

Just to let everyone know My husband and I are discussing new feeders now so we can keep food available for them.

 

[PirateGirl]

hmm... so you are only getting half as many as you did a few weeks ago at a time of year and time of life that production should be increasing not decreasing...

Any changes you can think of between Christmas and now? Different feed, something new in the coop, crazy weather, predator attack, new bird(s) added to the flock, anything?

 

[21hens-incharge]

A 5 gallon bucket can be made into an effective and inexpensive feeder......
I know there are threads on it.

 

[PirateGirl]

lots of creative ideas here, some are better than others, some are easier than others...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/feeders-waterers.26/

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am thinking along these lines.....