35 hens and only 2 eggs today What else shoud I do?

[mrsteiner]

This is probably the worst time of year to add to my flock but in the last few weeks I've increased my flock from 5 the 35 hens. I've enlarged and insulated my coop so they're warm. I've added light with a timer so they're getting 14 hrs of light. I'm still only getting 2-3 eggs per day.

MY EE stopped laying about a month ago. My BOs and BAs are still laying but not nearly as many as usual.

I'm wondering if moving hens will disrupt their laying? They've been all together for about a week now, but I've merged 3 flocks. My original five, with 18 pullets that are about 22 weeks old now, but haven't started laying and an additional 12 hens that are 9 months old and have been laying regularly.

What more should I do? Any idea if they'll start laying again this fall? Or will I have to wait till Spring?

 

[NonnasBabies]

Oh yes, any kinds of changes will make them stop laying!! I give them a few more weeks and hope they start back up!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes, chickens hate change and it will disrupt their laying. How old are the new additions to your flock? If they are older hens, they could be molting or finishing up on a molt.

 

[mrsteiner]

I bought five IDA reds that are a year old and just finishing a molt. They've stopped laying for now. I got 7 RIRs that are 9 months old and were good layers for the farmer I bought them from. I've only gotten a couple of eggs from them so far this week. Since here in Michigan my hours of daylight have dropped to about 9 hours a day, I've added a light and a timer to my coop and increased the light to 14 hours per day. I also have 18 younger hens that are between 21 and 24 weeks old that haven't started laying yet. Although they're different breeds (RIR, BR, Welsummers) I assumed that the shorter days have prevented any of them from laying so far.

So it sounds like I'm on the right track, just need to give them some more time.

Thanks.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yep, more time.

My breeder welsummers never lay before 24 weeks.

 

[mommissan]

I lose eggs every time I remove a rooster. Luckily I'm all out of roosters for butchering! In fact, the other day I let them out of the coop 4 hours later than usual..... no eggs for a day! Spitefull little girls!

 

[CheerioLounge]

I had to separate my smallest hen from the group because she was getting harrassed by the others. I built a separate, but attached run and coop just for her. Even that change caused her and 2 other hens to stop laying for about a week. It takes a while for them to adapt to any change or disruption. Now my little one lays the biggest eggs!

 

[mrsteiner]

ISA browns not IDA reds. I think those are potatoes.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. My Isa Browns and my Rhode Island Whites are my best layers. They rarely skip a beat. Out of 53 birds I get 3 to 4 dozen eggs daily. There are a lot of reasons why a bird will either slow down or stop laying. Any change at all can cause it. Chickens like a routine and when their routine is disrupted or changed in any way it will affect them.
Here is a good link.
http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/20763/pnw565.pdf