Are my chickens cheating me on eggs??

[Kuntry Klucker]

My hens are 22 wks old. I got my first egg about 2 weeks ago. Since then I am only
getting 1 egg out of 13 hens. Will the other ones start laying soon or is there something wrong
with my hens.

The days are getting shorter and the nights colder, could this
be the reason I am only getting one egg?

Or are they just plotting to cheat me on eggs

those little stinkers.

Any thoughts or opinions from those more experienced than I would be great.

Thanks

 

[ChicKat]

Those little stinkers! You need to give them a pep-talk.

Different breeds begin to lay at different times. Your may be just coming into laying. I think that the drop-off in egglaying in shortened days isn't so dramatic for the backyard flock owner. Seems one place I saw a statistic of 20% fewer eggs. Experts could give you thier expertise/experience on this. In my case, if I get 18 per week, then I would go down to 14 or so (did I calculate correctly?)

You also could supplement their lighting over the winter.

If they are healthy, no parasites, they have plenty of food, calcium (oyster shell, crushed eggshells) and good fresh water, then my guess would be they are just getting ramped up. -- patience?

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Okay,They are healthy, have food, get treats, have plenty of fresh clean water, and clean pen and coop.
In a nutshell they are spoiled rotten.

I guess I will just have to wait a little longer. I got so excited when I got my first egg, I wanted more.
Guess I have to expect at their pace. Kind of hard seeing that they taste so much better than anything
I can buy. I am so addicted!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Add light from 5 am to 8 am by using a little, inexpensive timer. Layer ration of 17% protein should make up 90% of their calories. Fresh water and over all good health and they will lay quite nicely for you. Cooler temperatures have almost nothing to do with it.