49 chickens and only 9 eggs per day

[kemper]

They are all RI R's, some are only a little over a year old and the rest are two years old, anyway about 3 months ago they just about quit laying,about 6 or 8 eggs a day, now they are up to 8 or 9 eggs a day, some days 10, some of them have molted but seem to be over it and are just not laying, all i feed is the recommended laying mash from Kent feeds, could there be something they are lacking? i have grit and oyster shell available at all times.

 

[RuffledFeathers]

I have seen a lot of people recommending upping their protein to help give them a boost after molting. Try mixing in a non-medicated starter or grower feed with higher protein and just make sure you have oyster shell out for free choice.

 

[LynneP]

I agree, they have come through the hardest time in a hen's year. Fats and oils are also good for getting the feathercoat glossy, the egg chute moist and the body warm after a molt.

 

[spammy]

My chickens slacked off on egg production a couple months ago. I sought advice from Mr. Kennedy, Mr Kennedy is 89 years old and has farmed,gardened and raised livestock his whole life. "want more eggs? soybeans." After 1/2 hour of family talk, price of gas talk,idiots in Washington talk and whatkind of winter talk. "boil em for 20 minutes or your chickens will get sick" "her is what I'd do" You now listen carefully or take notes. "Get the beans right out of the field as they are harvested, just like they sell em to the co-op. Hard and dry. Soak 4 or 5 cups in a big pot, twice as much water as beans. Soak overnite, next day in the same water bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes.
Cover and let set over nite. Drain em, cover em and put in fridge. Feed about a cup of beans to every 8 or 10 chickens in the morning before any other food, just thow it on the ground, they like em."
Thats what I did. Started 3 weeks ago. Before the weather cooled I would get 9-10 eggs a day from 16 10 month hens, when they slowed down 5-6 a day. Last week 8 a day, this week 11 a day, 1 day with 16.
Bought a 5 gallon bucket of beans from a farmer for 5 bucks and a dozen eggs.

 

[acbear93]

sounds like that is worth a try...

"After 1/2 hour of family talk, price of gas talk,idiots in Washington talk and whatkind of winter talk. "boil em for 20 minutes or your chickens will get sick" "her is what I'd do" You now listen carefully or take notes." I love how old people talk!! funny stuff!!

 

[lilshadow]

My girls have cut down on laying too, but it is because of the weather we have been having. They will slow down in the winter.

 

[pine top]

you can use dry cat food for more protienbut onlycat food not dogfood

 

[speckledhen]

Cat food has too much salt to feed it much. Many folks are in your boat now, including me. The molts are hard this year in my flock. The breeders are on Game Bird Breeder/Layena, 20% protein, and 22% layer pellets. Sometimes they get salmon or mackerel, plus yogurt and some olive oil for digestion and circulation. Its the time of year and the weather, mostly.

 

[digitS']

I don't know how far north you are but here near 49° North, we have lost nearly 90 minutes of daylight since the fall equinox. So, that's about 3 minutes less sunlight a day, 21 minutes less each week . . .

We'll be down to 9 hours of daylight by November 21st. . . . 8 hours by December 21st.

. . . gets noticeable.

I'm sure it is noticeable to a chicken, too.

Steve

 

[elmo]

My father grew up on a dairy farm in Vermont. He tells the story of how he took over care of his family's chickens when he was a boy. His mother promised him that he could keep the profits from selling the eggs over a certain base amount.

He related how he started to baby those chickens. He gave them fresh water and treats several times a day. He gave them fresh bedding daily and fluffed it up for them. He built them a larger pen, and put up a windblock to give them more shelter. Basically, anything that he could think of for their comfort, he did.

The result was the flock increased its egg output, and my father made enough extra money from the enterprise to buy himself a new rifle. His mother started to get jealous, though, so she took back operating the chicken business, thinking she could reap the profits for herself.

But without the extra TLC, the hens dropped back to their original production.