20% production, time to thin?

[Mikee1948]

I have 5 hens and all I'm averaging is one egg per day. Two of the hens are 2 1/2 years old, one is 1 1/2, and two are 6 months. I have a light on in the coop from 3 AM till daylight. They get the best food and plenty of treats. And I'm getting tired of feeding non-productive birds. The egg production has been like that for months now, and I believe the one egg is from a newer bird.

 

[sourland]

What breeds do you have? The 1.5 should be at her prime, the two pullets have not started yet most likely, and the two older hens depending upon breed should be good for 3 or 4 eggs per week. Are you feeding a balanced layer ration?

 

[Mikee1948]

Oldest birds: RIR, and a RIR/Leghorn cross, Next oldest (1 1/2) is an Australorp, two youngest are RIR/Leghorns. Yep, they get Purina crumbles, supplement with corn, meal worms, and table scraps.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Unless there is some reason you that you personally want RIRs, and you are only keeping hens for eggs, when or if you do cull go back with a production strain of leghorn, white, brown, black, the color of the hen is unimportant but the ability to lay 600 plus eggs the first two seasons is a good trait.

Sourland's assessment of your hens is right on.

 

[TXchickmum]

Hmm. Our 2-year-old hens slowed with a few weeks of significant heat in late August, and then again whilst beginning molting rounds in October. Overall production was slow (on average) for several months. (2 - 3 eggs from 9 layers) I just figured that their bodies were doing what was needed. They've now picked back up and are giving us about 4-6 eggs per week. -thinking when the last two gals have finished molting, production'll be back to 6-8 per week.

Have any of your birds gone through a molt/partial molt? -could be the culprit. I'm no expert on the correlation between specific diet and laying. -wondering if the chickens are eating more of the scraps and corn than their feed? -don't know if this would have any effect at all. I like to supplement my gals with greens if there isn't much forage available in the middle of winter for 'em, or give some occasional protein on the side especially during the molting process. -don't like to give a lot of extras that deter them from their balanced feed. Again, I'm not an expert on this, just have a personal preference. Anyway, I hope that you determine what is going on with your flock. Best of luck and (hopefully) lots more eggs forthcoming for you!