10 Golden Comets, 2 eggs?

[urbanfarmersCNA]

I have 10 seemingly healthy hens who have been laying a reliable 10 (some days 11) eggs per day for the past five weeks.

The past three days have been extremely odd. Yesterday we got six eggs, today we got two eggs!!

What gives? The temps have definitely cooled down (lows in the 50s and highs in the upper 70s) and the days are getting shorter this past week.

I have cameras on my run, in my coop and even in my nesting box. No sign of predators, They have NO egg hiding spots, I have them very well contained to their run and coop at all times. Shut our coop door every night once they go in, and we open it before it’s fully light every morning 6:30-7am.

We raised them from chicks this spring and summer.

 

[Aapomp831]

It’s normal for egg laying to decrease as the days get shorter. If they seem healthy, I wouldn’t worry. It’s good for their bodies to get a break.

 

[urbanfarmersCNA]

Yeah I read the thing about them taking a break with shorter days / less daylight, and I'm totally good with that. But two eggs surprised me since I'm used to 10/day. I started to think "are some of the hens eating the eggs?" was curious if anyone has seen 10x golden comets drop egg production that drastically due to shorter days?

Thanks!

 

[Aapomp831]

Yeah I read the thing about them taking a break with shorter days / less daylight, and I'm totally good with that. But two eggs surprised me since I'm used to 10/day. I started to think "are some of the hens eating the eggs?" was curious if anyone has seen 10x golden comets drop egg production that drastically due to shorter days?

Thanks!

Yes, we have 18 laying hens, mix of golden comets, black sex links, and some other random breeds and right now we are getting around 8 eggs per day, sometimes less. Most of mine are also molting, which may also be the case with yours.

 

[urbanfarmersCNA]

Yes, we have 18 laying hens, mix of golden comets, black sex links, and some other random breeds and right now we are getting around 8 eggs per day, sometimes less. Most of mine are also molting, which may also be the case with yours.

They were baby chicks in the spring, so it seems unlikely that they are molting, right?

Thanks for giving your numbers. I tracked it this week, they laid 2 eggs each day. 10 hens.

 

[urbanfarmersCNA]

Just to update, these are golden comets, which from reading, should lay for 18 months before molting. So I do not think they are molting.

They used to be done laying by 12/noon (10 or 11 eggs) like clock work. Now, they are laying only 1-2 eggs total. And we get 1 mid-morning and another mid-afternoon or so, the time is just super odd.

I have cameras on them 24/7. No sign of egg theives or of them eating their own eggs. No sign of them laying in a hidden nest either. They have an enclosed 160 sqft run, and I close their coop door every night.

 

[Aapomp831]

Yes, besides the chick molt they don’t experience their first real molt until 18 months

 

[aart]

Do they look like they are laying....red combs, etc?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Any changes to feed or flock population?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[urbanfarmersCNA]

I’m in SC. They are all definitely laying. All started same week, 10 a day. Then after 5-6 weeks, they’ve done this

 

[urbanfarmersCNA]

Next door neighbors have 7 chickens (4 white leghorns and 3 ISA browns) and they are still getting about 4 a day at least