Anyone noticing an unusually poor November egg production?

[Savvymamma]

Here too. Mine actually slowed down back in Sept when I moved the Standard and Bantam chickens into the 'show' pen. EVERYONE stopped, then slowly started picking up again. In MIchigan, we have had a LOT of really cloudy days and rain or snow, so that was my thought, plus the last couple of weeks, we are building a larger coop over/around the old one, so all the pounding, digging, I figured was part of the problem. I bought a couple strings of Christmas rope lights to start adding daylight time to them around Christmas to start to boost production, plus I need my fav's to start thinking about laying seriously so I can start selling some of the eggs and/or chicks this spring. I have 1 in the brooder, and 3 doz in the incubator right now. This is my last hatch until I start again in late January.

Rhonda
1 hubby, 1 daughter, 3 LF Faverolles, 6 BF Faverolles, 2 sebright hens, and about 8 mixed breed layers, 1 duckwing rooster, and 4 horses all in Michigan.

 

[dorena33]

Yes, five hens no eggs. They just finished molting, except for my two 6 month old "babies". One hen is 13, she hatched the babies as adoptive mother, another hen 7 years old, pretty well stopped laying a couple years ago. Another is about 3 1/2 went through a horribly massive molt, she had leg scale mites which have been treated. She was laying an egg every othe day until end of Oct..
Then the two chicks should start laying eggs any time now.
The weather and shorter days are the reason for fewer or no eggs. I hear it from friends, too. Just be patient if weather turns nice they justmight get started again.
My hens are pets so if they don't lay, they still belong in the flock, they more than make up for it with the pleasure I and friends and neighbors take in watching their antics and feeding them by hand.
By the way, my 13 plus, year old hen was laying eggs into October and then started setting so I got her the two 4 day old chicks to raise. Not fertilized of course, and also even if they were, I can't take a chance on getting roosters, that's why I bought the two chicks that were 99% sure to be hens. And they are.
So hang in there, your hens will lay again, maybe in profusion once they start!

My local nick name is Chicken Lady, of course one of many

Good luck,
Doreen in Sonoma

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Quote:
I'm the crazy chicken lady of heuvelton, so I hear yah.

 

[gregorypeck]

I am relieved to hear that others experienced a sag or dramatic production drop off. I have 18 hens that have been exceptional layers over the past year and a half (.8 eggs per day per hen). I have seen counts drop to 3-5 eggs per day total this month. It has been cold, dark and several hens are molting. Those adversities considered this is still the lowest level I have seen since they began laying.

 

[Wyogirl]

My first year with chickens, have not seen a drop, actually today had 13 eggs by noon, do have 34 ranging from 5 to 7 months , am waiting for some to start laying, my EE's have been in and out of the nest practicing. Can't wait!!

 

[Sissy]

Welcome to the club.. Nov has been a flop
as far as egg laying. but I have a broody batam cohin hen sitting on 4 eggs
3 silkie eggs and 1 cochin.
I have put food along side her but I never see her drink .
is this something I need to be concerned about .

 

[Gin530]

Mama doesn't eat much when she is setting. Since you aren't seeing her drink, I think I would put the food away from her and closer to the water. She WILL eventually get up and eat, and she would probably get her a drink then. It is essential that they have water if they are eating.

 

[savingdogs]

Quote:
I think that this is the most logical explanation of what is going on. Thank you for sharing this.

I also think that the idea that first year hens are still producing eggs whereas second year or older are more in tune to the seasons explains why some people are not experiencing it. Their birds are not as tuned in to the cycle for some reason. I think artificial light would be the only method of counteracting this, if we wanted to make them produce more eggs.

I also wondered if Dana is also correct, with her post about a cold winter coming, which was my worry. Won't we all experience a cold winter if we get fewer UV rays?

 

[MissJenny]

"Unusally poor egg production" doesn't even begin to cover it... out of five birds, I am getting two eggs, tops, per day. I do have one who is in an especially heavy moult and one who is deeply stressed (everybody hates her). Another is just coming out of a moult. That leaves the two who are regularly laying -- a barred rock with no personality to speak of and a pretty pretty golden laced bantam cochin diva who insists that if nothing else, the show must go on. One big egg, one little egg, one big egg, one little egg. I am glad to hear it is not just me.

Jenny

 

[lovetocook]

Me two, 5 hens not in moult, 1 egg every other day.