am I feeding proerly?

[Tapsmom]

Hi All,
Our chickens are fairly young. We got them last March and they started laying this Summer. We have 5 hens..3 Buff Orpingtons, a Productyion Red, and a Wyandotte. We were getting 5 eggs a day. Over the last month it has dropped to 1 or 2 a day. They are getting Layer pellets free choice in a feeder and fresh water. They are in "Chicken Fort Knox" and put themselves in their coop when it gets dark..which is now around 4:30. Sometimes I also spred around about a cup and a half of corn for them to eat when it is predicted to be very cold. Is this just due to the weather or is there something wrong? They all appear healthy, but there have been lots of feathers around and 1 went through a scruffy looking stage..which I assume must be moulting. I am new to this so I want to make sure I am caring for my girls properly. Here is a pic of our "Fort Knox" (My husband is a crpenter and this is just temprary lol

 

[Frost Homestead]

it's probably a combination of factors. less light in the winter months means less eggs. also since some of them are clearly molting other could be as well and they just haven't lost enough feathers to look scruffy. as long as they have free choice layer pellets they are good. sounds like you're feeding them fine to me

 

[Auscal]

As Frosthazard said, just a combination of shorter days & moult.

Layer pellets is a complete diet so you are doing fine. As a personal preference, I'd be trying to add some fresh greens, even just cut grass or vege clippings.

Just one though, 1 1/2 cups of corn would be around 12 oz . An average chicken will eat 4oz of layer pellet daily (so, 5 chickens is 20oz)- so, on those days you are feeding corn they would be eating over 50% of their diet as just corn. So, maybe just a littel less straight corn woudl be better.