Any ideas what this means?! Hens puffed feathers

[colette peters]

Dumb question, but have you tried smoothing down her cushion with your hand to see if she's doing it or if that is just how they are at the moment?

No
You mean just smooth down the feather on her back?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

How often should chickens lay? Every 24 hours?
I’ve got 11 hens 2 are brooding at the moment.
Should I be getting at least 8 eggs a day??

Lately my egg production is dismal I get 3-7 eggs a day and it’s always off. Like yesterday was 3 (my worst day) then the day before was 6. I haven’t changed anything.
Food supply and brand is the same. It’s been bothering me and I’m becoming neurotic to see who’s laying.
I’ve had my hens 3 years and they are 3,2,1 years old and lost 3 in the three years to health. Never a predator.
All of their comb are bright red and they are all active and together.
Sorry but since you brought up egg production, I’m now concerned.
Thanks

How much your chickens are laying is very dependant on breed, weather, age, and health. Some breeds lay more than others from 3 up to 7 eggs a week, short days in the winter will reduce laying because they require a certain number of daylight hours, high heat in the summer can reduce laying if they don't have a lot of shade or experience heat stress, as they age, egg production also drops, these are mostly natural reasons for lower egg production but health issues, mites/lice, worms, etc. can definitely also play a role.

 

[Chickassan]

Yeah, like how you'd smooth your own hair.
If she poofs them back up, it is her doing.

View attachment 1844715
No
You mean just smooth down the feather on her back?

 

[colette peters]

How much your chickens are laying is very dependant on breed, weather, age, and health. Some breeds lay more than others from 3 up to 7 eggs a week, short days in the winter will reduce laying because they require a certain number of daylight hours, high heat in the summer can reduce laying if they don't have a lot of shade or experience heat stress, as they age, egg production also drops, these are mostly natural reasons for lower egg production but health issues, mites/lice, worms, etc. can definitely also play a role.

I understand all you mentioned. I just cleared out a mite infestation last week and I had better egg production before I found out I had a coop full of mites. But now that I cleaned out the coop for 5 hours, I think I stressed them out and maybe the smell of the solution was off putting to them. But my eggs have declined since I cleaned it out

 

[colette peters]

Yeah, like how you'd smooth your own hair.

Ok I’ll go try now

 

[colette peters]

Yeah, like how you'd smooth your own hair.

Also she’s about 3.5 years old

 

[coach723]

How often should chickens lay? Every 24 hours?
I’ve got 11 hens 2 are brooding at the moment.
Should I be getting at least 8 eggs a day??

The older your hens get, the longer the space between eggs will get. They start to slow down after they are two, and slowly taper off until they completely stop eventually if they are lucky enough to live that long. Every individual bird is different, some breeds lay more and longer, and any kind of stress can effect laying, even summer heat. A three year old bird that suddenly stops laying completely, I would look for a cause, either molt, broodiness, stress of some kind or illness(reproductive problems are not uncommon). If it's just taking longer between eggs, that could be normal aging. I have some hens that are older and don't lay at all anymore. I have some young ones that still lay every day or every other day, and some that fall somewhere in between. At this time of year older hens may stop in preparation for molt already. I've got one that has already molted this year. If it's a soft molt then the first thing you might notice is the drop in egg production. My oldest hen (at least 8, maybe 9) hasn't laid an egg in several years, she's very healthy (knock on wood), and my best broody hen. She tends to go broody several times every summer. Sometimes you really have to have a very complete picture in order to figure out what may be going on.

 

[colette peters]

@Chickassan i did pet her for a minute and nothing changed. Still puffed up.

 

[colette peters]

@Texas Kiki in between her legs felt firm. Not hard not squishy just firm.

 

[Kiki]

The older your hens get, the longer the space between eggs will get. They start to slow down after they are two, and slowly taper off until they completely stop eventually if they are lucky enough to live that long. Every individual bird is different, some breeds lay more and longer, and any kind of stress can effect laying, even summer heat. A three year old bird that suddenly stops laying completely, I would look for a cause, either molt, broodiness, stress of some kind or illness(reproductive problems are not uncommon). If it's just taking longer between eggs, that could be normal aging. I have some hens that are older and don't lay at all anymore. I have some young ones that still lay every day or every other day, and some that fall somewhere in between. At this time of year older hens may stop in preparation for molt already. I've got one that has already molted this year. If it's a soft molt then the first thing you might notice is the drop in egg production. My oldest hen (at least 8, maybe 9) hasn't laid an egg in several years, she's very healthy (knock on wood), and my best broody hen. She tends to go broody several times every summer. Sometimes you really have to have a very complete picture in order to figure out what may be going on.