Any suggestions??

[ChickenCanoe]

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

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!

You have productive breeds.
I agree with @nuthatched and @Ridgerunner.
At this point of the year, they should have been laying like gangbusters for a month already.
I'd say your issue is nutrition. Check the guaranteed analysis tag on the feed. it is likely 16% crude protein. That is barely adequate for ovulation. If they don't ovulate you don't get eggs. When you add oats, corn and seeds, you are introducing foodstuffs at about 10% protein. That's the tip of the iceberg. Those vegetative sources are almost devoid of some essential amino acids.
Also check the mill date. If the feed is over 2 or 3 months old, vitamins and amino acids start to degrade.
Cold or weather conditions, in most cases have nothing to do with productivity. It is all about increasing light period vis a vis decreasing dark period each day.
Until they resume full productivity, eliminate anything other than fresh feed. Giving table scraps to chickens is a good use for them but focus more on animal protein (fish, meat, poultry) rather than fruits and vegetables.
Again, its all about boosting the essential amino acids.

 

[Ridgerunner]

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.

I'd say your issue is nutrition. Check the guaranteed analysis tag on the feed. it is likely 16% crude protein. That is barely adequate for ovulation.

Canoe, this is one of the few times I don't agree with you. I feed a 16% protein Grower feed with oyster shell on the side and they forage for some of their food. How much depends on the season. In warmer weather they get a lot of bugs and what I call creepy crawlies. They get lots of vegetation to choose from. When I have it they get kitchen, garden, and orchard wastes. In winter the pickings are pretty slim. I still get a lot of eggs in winter, both from pullets laying through their first winter and from many of the more mature hens after they finish the molt and start laying, some before the winter solstice so pickings are still pretty slim.

From what I've seen with mine I would expect the amount of protein to have more effect on the size of the eggs than the number. It's never that simple, there are always complications. But I think something else rather than basic protein levels are strongly contributing to that dramatic drop in number of eggs.

@Yourmom Canoe has a lot more basic knowledge on this stuff than I do. It won't hurt a thing to cut back on what he suggests. It might help. But I think there is something else going on than just protein levels.

 

[Yourmom]

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.

Thank you for the advice! I live in Wisconsin and it's white outside again today ugh! I will cut back on the corn etc. I don't think they're hiding eggs, I've hunted around. They are pretty good about heading back to the coop and going in the boxes. I will check their vents, good idea. Not sure what to do if they don't look like they're laying but at least I'll know. They were done molting by late fall, their feathers are all filled in and look great! I think we'll work on nutrition.

 

[Yourmom]

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

I think it's 17 or 18%, we're going to work on their diet. A deer was just hit by a car, going to put some of that in the run, they go crazy over meat!

 

[Yourmom]

You have productive breeds.
I agree with @nuthatched and @Ridgerunner.
At this point of the year, they should have been laying like gangbusters for a month already.
I'd say your issue is nutrition. Check the guaranteed analysis tag on the feed. it is likely 16% crude protein. That is barely adequate for ovulation. If they don't ovulate you don't get eggs. When you add oats, corn and seeds, you are introducing foodstuffs at about 10% protein. That's the tip of the iceberg. Those vegetative sources are almost devoid of some essential amino acids.
Also check the mill date. If the feed is over 2 or 3 months old, vitamins and amino acids start to degrade.
Cold or weather conditions, in most cases have nothing to do with productivity. It is all about increasing light period vis a vis decreasing dark period each day.
Until they resume full productivity, eliminate anything other than fresh feed. Giving table scraps to chickens is a good use for them but focus more on animal protein (fish, meat, poultry) rather than fruits and vegetables.
Again, its all about boosting the essential amino acids.

Thank you!!

 

[nuthatched]

I think it's 17 or 18%, we're going to work on their diet. A deer was just hit by a car, going to put some of that in the run, they go crazy over meat!

Make sure to get a salvage tag