(2) separate coops hardly any eggs. Help

[Derekwit]

I have (2) separate coops with multiple chickens and hardly any eggs. Coop (1) has 45 hens and (2) roos they have a large run area and a completely covered roosting area with ample space for all the birds. Inside roost automatic water and feed. coop number (2) 18 birds these are my breeding birds they are set apart in trios or more with roo and hens isolated they also have private runs with completely covered roosting areas automatic water and feed. I am only getting about 3-5 eggs a day.. Any suggestions. Please help!!!

 

[PrairieChickens]

What is the age of the chickens? What is the time of year where you live? What are you feeding the chickens? Do they know how to access the food? Finally, are any of the chickens behaving listlessly or displaying other signs of illness like feather loss, discharge of the eyes or nostrils, or irregular bowel movements?

 

[phoenixdott]

Depending where you are at some hens sometimes don't start laying until there is more daylight. If I were you i waould try layer crumbles. I was only getting a few eggs a day and I switched from the chicken feed to layer crumbles and i am now getting twice as many eggs. I have 8 hens and now am getting 7 eggs a day regular you could also try oyster shells it takes alot of calcium for hens to lay well.

 

[Derekwit]

I am outside of Atlanta Ga. The chickens are bout 1 1/2 old. I am feeding them layer pellets (16-or 18%).. All the birds seem to be fine and healthy not showing signs of illness. No discharge from eyes or nose. I have seen some signs of runny poop but not al lot.

 

[PrairieChickens]

Aha, I think I have your answer. Your chickens are about 18 months old. If I remember right, that's when they go into their first adult molt. Your hens will be busy growing new feathers and won't have the protein to spare for laying eggs until they've finished.

 

[Derekwit]

Should I see a excess of feathers in the run & coop?

 

[PrairieChickens]

You might, especially if any of the hens are going through a "hard" molt, but a lot of my chickens showed little sign at all of what was going on. I never saw a lot of feathers laying around compared to normal, and if it weren't for the fact that some of my scruffier-looking chickens were suddenly starting to look sleek again, I wouldn't have known they were growing in new feathers at all.

 

[Derekwit]

That makes sense because and am not seeing a more feathers than normal.

Thanks.

 

[PrairieChickens]

You can try feeding them feather fixer feed, or anything to help boost their protein intake and see if that helps.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

There's only one problem with that theory, this is the wrong time of the year for birds to moult. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I find it highly unlikely that nearly 70 birds would go into moult during the wrong time of the year and not drop a single feather.
This is the slow time of the year for laying, typically. The days are just getting longer and the girls will soon prepare to put in longer hours at the egg factory.
Another thought, their breeds could have alot to do with it as well. I've noticed my production breeds (Leghorns, RIR, ECT) tend to fizzle out faster than my dual purpose and ornamental breeds. There's a reason why commercial egg farms restock when the layers are around a year old, and that's because production usually drops dramatically around then.

One more suggestion if nothing else seems to fit, mice can do a real number on your eggs. Sometimes they'll leave evidence behind in the form of shells, sometimes they don't. If you've got a bad infestation, they get very bold, and will come in during the day and steal eggs as soon as they're laid, or they may just take them at night (ask me how I know this, eww). And mice aren't the only egg thieves, rats, blujays, crows, skunks, possums and a whole host of others love to eat eggs and when there's a steady supply the have no problems dropping by the buffet for a bite to eat.

I hope you get it figured out, that's a big flock to be feeding with no pay back! Good luck!