Birds not laying eggs - is my area to small? please help!!!

[Chad Nolen]

So I am new to this, but we are excited to get this backyard chicken pen going. Some issues came about early on. We just go them 2 weeks ago, but getting very very few eggs 2-3 a day.

We have a 5 x 8 coop with 10 hens & 1 rooster. All from a very clean farm and young birds
- 1 Rhode Island Red Rooster
- 2 barred rock
- 3 easter eggers
- 5 rhode island red hens

I have (1) 15 lb feeder & (1) 4gallon waterer with 2 cups in the coop. Also a 3 lb feeder for oyster shells. I'm not quite done with the pen which will be 20' x 28' so the birds are just in the coop. I will have separate feed & water in run out pen also. The 1st few days we had the rubber pans I have removed them over a week ago and used the hanging feeders from my work.

We feed them layer crumbles from the local store & occasionally vegetables.

Is this to confined of an area? We are only getting 2-3 eggs a day?

I noticed on (1) of the RIR that there is a bare spot by the vent. I saw a bird pecking at it. Does this mean we need to get the RIR out of the pen immediately? I'm reading different things about this. The issue is not bad, but I want to address it now.

Do I let the coop door, windows & vent open or closed in the winter for them to go outside or shut it to keep warmer air inside?

Any other suggestions would be great. We are new to this, but not sure we haven't caused some issues early on.

 

[MillersFarm]

we feed layer crumbles from local store.... no grit..... occasionally vegetables. I have since removed the rubber pans and installed the hanging feeders only.

I'd give them time for all of them to get used to their surroundings. I'd keep some vents open during the winter and the door. Put i'd close the windows.. And for the pecking i'd keep an eye on it and separate her IF it gets really noticeable. She shouldn't be a problem. Mind me asking how many nesting boxes the chickens have?

 

[Chad Nolen]

I'd give them time for all of them to get used to their surroundings. I'd keep some vents open during the winter and the door. Put i'd close the windows.. And for the pecking i'd keep an eye on it and separate her IF it gets really noticeable. She shouldn't be a problem. Mind me asking how many nesting boxes the chickens have?

8 nest boxes

 

[MillersFarm]

8 nest boxes

Thats plenty for ten hens! I really dont see why they wont lay.. I'd just wait it out

 

[Mrs. K]

I would let them outside at least for a couple of hours a day, even if the run is not done. Do it right before dark, and they will go back in on their own. Space is very important to chicken health.

I would not worry about keeping chickens warm, but rather worry about keeping chickens dry. Opening vents seems counter intuitive, but think of being in a closed car without heat on a could night. Almost immediately the windows begin to fog. This makes for damp chickens and damp chickens are cold chickens. Dry chickens out of the wind, can stay warm at -25 degrees F.

Also, fall is coming, if they are over a year old, the egg production will naturally drop as the daylight shortens, eventually triggering a molt, where there will be no egg production at all.

You could remove 5 of those nests, you don't need them, and that generally adds a bit more room to the coop. You are about maxed out on coop size. I would not feed inside the coop, some people do, but I think it draws rodents. Also, I only put out enough feed for each day. They do not eat during the night. I try to feed it so that the bowl is nearly empty at dark. If there is a lot left over, I don't feed as much, if it is completely bare, I feed a little more. As the seasons change, their feed intake changes too.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

How old are the birds?
The butt feather picking/eating could indicate a protein need.
Give them some meal worms, meat scraps, or a higher protein feed.

 

[Chad Nolen]

My guess is birds are 6-8 months old My guess is cent picking started with overcrowding by me not letting them out of coop at all.

 

[TalkALittle]

They are likely stressed from the transition and from being confined in the coop whilst you are finishing the run. Can you give them some time out?