Am I Doing something wrong?

[mvine26]

I have 98 hens and I am getting between 10 and 15 eggs a day now and when they are layin good I am only still gettin about 3 dzn. I give them fresh water every day they get 20% lay pellets i go through a 50 pound bag in 4 feedings which is 2 days so I think there eating enough i keep a light on at night I read that that is supposed to help.. I would think I should be getting more eggs with so many hens....

 

[Kevin565]

Could they be molting?

 

[mvine26]

Yes I have a few of my older hens that are but for the most part there not the ones that are I have in there own part of the yard because the other hens were pecking at them alot theres about 70 that are still young and not molting

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

You might want to post in the Chicken Behaviors and Egg Laying section of the forum - be sure to include some additional info
What breeds do you have?
How old are your hens?
Have they just started laying less lately?
How much light are you giving them per day?

 

[mvine26]

ok ty

 

[KristyHall]

How big is their coop and run? How much natural daylight do they get? Do they have mites or worms? How much out door time do they get?

 

[mvine26]

Right now it gets light around 7am and dark about 630 7 pm then I have a light on from 7pm to 7 am...coop is 40ft by 15ft and there yard is right around the same.... I dont think they have either they had mites a few months ago and I used the powder on them... and we let them out so the have five acres to run around on and they love goin into where the horses are and scratch there then they go in and roost on there own in the evening

 

[KristyHall]

Right now it gets light around 7am and dark about 630 7 pm then I have a light on from 7pm to 7 am...coop is 40ft by 15ft and there yard is right around the same.... I dont think they have either they had mites a few months ago and I used the powder on them... and we let them out so the have five acres to run around on and they love goin into where the horses are and scratch there then they go in and roost on there own in the evening

You may have too many birds. The coup and run does give them about 7 sqf a bird (Not combined) but even with space when you have too large of a flock, its tresses the birds and they may refuse to lay. You may even have egg breakers in your flock. These birds will sneak into nests the moment the eggs are laid, and eat the eggs. What breed are they?

 

[mvine26]

mostly buffs and black astralorps a couple wyandotts, turkins, silkies, rir and white leghorns i havnt seen any broken eggs but i did leave some for the hens to set on went back in later that day and two were missing so i have been checking for eggs more often

 

[KristyHall]

mostly buffs and black astralorps a couple wyandotts, turkins, silkies, rir and white leghorns i havnt seen any broken eggs but i did leave some for the hens to set on went back in later that day and two were missing so i have been checking for eggs more often

sometimes an egg breaker will leave no signs. They simply eat everything. You could also be having a problem with something getting in and eating the eggs.

You may want to try adding a second pen accessible by the coup r some other way, and rotate the birds. This will give them a little more space, and fresh areas to scratch and peck. Sometimes egg breakers do so out of sheer boredom.

You can also hang shiny pie plates with specks on them to give the birds something t peck at and play with.

also throw in mulch like wood shavings, straw, leaves, or anything they can dig around in then mix in some grain or bits of cracked corn, or other treats. They will have a blast scratching around and finding the food. A happy bird lays more eggs.