Any suggestions??

[Yourmom]

Hey everyone! I have 16 hens, 11 are going to be 3 July, 5 are almost 2. They went through a molt in fall. They get to free range and get seeds, scraps etc. I'm only getting 2-3 eggs a day. Are they still waiting for warmer weather or what? My neighbor has 6 hens and frequently gets 5 eggs a day. I'm trying to collect eggs to incubate, it's a slow process! Thanks for any advice!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Is it possible they are legs outside somewhere? Those numbers do seem low. What kind are your younger ones?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It’s most likely their ages. A hens prime laying is her first year. Once a hen reaches 2 she usually will not lay as much as her first year and by the time she is three she will lay even less. That’s why many of us add new pullets every spring to keep a constant supply of eggs. If you don’t add pullets into your flock every year your egg supply will start to trickle off more and more with each year. Once my hens reach 3 years old I get maybe 1-2 eggs a week from them and that’s during peak laying season.

 

[Yourmom]

Is it possible they are legs outside somewhere? Those numbers do seem low. What kind are your younger ones?

I thought of that and have been looking around. They are hanging around the same area and I didn't see any. The younger ones are a speckled sussex, black australorps and barred rocks.

 

[Yourmom]

It’s most likely their ages. A hens prime laying is her first year. Once a hen reaches 2 she usually will not lay as much as her first year and by the time she is three she will lay even less. That’s why many of us add new pullets every spring to keep a constant supply of eggs. If you don’t add pullets into your flock every year your egg supply will start to trickle off more and more with each year. Once my hens reach 3 years old I get maybe 1-2 eggs a week from them and that’s during peak laying season.

I think you're right! That's why I'm going to try incubating some. I didn't last year and should have. Now they're just freeloaders lol!

 

[nuthatched]

What's their complete diet?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It isn't temperatures that affect laying, it's hours of daylight.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where are you located? I assume in the northern hemisphere so we have already passed the spring equinox and the days are more than 12 hours long. Just wondering how cold it is.

I'll go through my standard list of why you may not be getting more eggs.

First is the molt. Are they over the molt? Are you seeing feathers flying around? You'd think they'd be over it but the length of day has a big effect. Did a security light or something recently go out that would make them think the days were getting shorter instead of longer? In your case I really doubt this but if you are seeing feathers they are molting.

Are they hiding a nest on you? This happens pretty regularly. You don't think they are laying but they really are. Often when this happens they are free ranging but some of them can be really good at hiding a nest in a coop or run.

Is something getting some of the eggs? Many critters will eat eggs but most leave a sign, eggshells or at least a wet spot. The main critters in North America that take eggs without leaving clues are snakes, canines, and humans. Even if you are warm enough for snakes to be active it sounds too consistent to be a snake. I've had a snake take several eggs and then go digest them before coming back a few days later for more eggs.

A fox or coyote would most likely be more interested in your hens than eggs, but does a dog have access? Dogs will sometimes eat eggs and not bother the chickens.

A human does not necessarily mean a stranger, especially of it is consistent. They'd need regular access. Some people have done things like this as a practical joke though most jokes don't last that long.

So what can you do? Since they free range lock them in the coop or coop/run for three or four days. If you start getting several eggs either they were hiding a nest or you locked out an egg eater.

Try discreetly marking a couple of eggs and leave them down there. If those eggs disappear you know something is taking them.

Another possibility is that they are not laying. Check their vents. If a hen is laying an egg, even only occasionally, she will have a soft, pink, damp vent. If the vent is tight and dry she is not laying. The difference is pretty obvious one you see it. You might take them off of the roost at night to check when they are easier to catch.

Even if all of your 16 hens were 3 years old I'd expect you to be getting a lot more eggs than that. Each hen is an individual and each flock has its own dynamics. They do reduce laying in their 3rd laying season but not that much. If they were 5 or 6 years old, yeah, maybe. But not at 3.

Good luck! I know this is frustrating.

 

[Yourmom]

What's their complete diet?

They get non GMO layer crumble, and a mix of oats, corn and sunflower seeds. Now that they can free range again, they're finding a lot to eat in compost piles etc. They get kitchen scraps when I have them. They definitely eat plenty!

 

[nuthatched]

They get non GMO layer crumble, and a mix of oats, corn and sunflower seeds. Now that they can free range again, they're finding a lot to eat in compost piles etc. They get kitchen scraps when I have them. They definitely eat plenty!

Cut out the oats, corn and seeds, they aren't remotely good for them and are unbalancing their diet. What protein is the feed?