Can anyone help me figure out why my hens have not been laying much?

[mofarm]

Can anyone help me figure out why my hens have not been laying much this year. Feeding good feed and water, have nice nest boxes, keep them happy and content, outside pen available during good weather, I have 17 two yr old hens, and 19 six month old pullets. getting 3-12 eggs a day. 4-6 most days. Thanks in advance for any ideas or info.

 

[sourland]

Go to the sticky at the top of this page. All of the many possibilities are presented there.

 

[farmerChef]

they are most likely molting. Most chickens molt in the fall or early winter. Are there lota of feathers in your pen/yard? Here's a pic of My dark Cornish from earlier this week. She actually looks worse now!

most of my chickens don't have tails right now either.

My leghorn only took 2 weeks off, but most hens can take 4-8 weeks until they start laying again. Or they may get lazy and take the winter off.....(Darn broody

)

 

[mofarm]

Thanks for the help. I'm new to this thing here and I'm not sure what the "sticky" is at the top of the page??? On molting, yes, some of mine are molting. But seems like not that many. And they have not been laying good all year long. Would they molt all spring and summer? How can I keep them from molting all year long? Or can I? I have one chicken I keep seperate and she is loosing feathers like the others, but she still gives me an egg a day. mmmm ???

 

[mofarm]

Found the "sticky".

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Could they be laying outside somewhere? My sister had this problem when she free ranged. She would find eggs everywhere outside. Under her deck and out in the field.

 

[duckinnut]

The whole egg laying thing is a funny business. To say one thing or another is the cause would be foolish and oft times there is more than one factor. Depending where you live heat and dry conditions have caused laying to be erratic. Once the heat tapers off seems like they went right into molt,at least for me anyway. Diet plays a role as far as feed to treat ratio and not mention free rangers. There are a number of diseases and illness that can be the cause of poor quality and diminished egg production.Mites can throw their routine off as well. Age of the hens as well as genetics as they age all factor into this egglaying business.So you just have to eliminate the "would be" problems one by one.

The sticky thing is in reference to the black worded posts at the top of the posts page.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Quote:
Hey there mofarm and

Here's a little bit of info i posted a couple of molting seasons back amybe you'llget some info outta it and its good reason for me to move it up a little bit too,

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3004154#p3004154

Jeff

 

[70monte]

My hens have not layed very well this year at all. It was a very hot summer and now it has cooled off but now most of mine are molting. I only average 1 or 2 eggs a day and have nine hens that are of laying age. Four of mine are almost 3 years old though and three of mine I don't know how old they are since I got them as adults and they have not layed once in the two months I've had them. I actually think one of my four month old RIR pullets layed her first egg today because she was making a nest in the corner of the coop and awhile later there was an egg in it and it was smaller than normal.

Wayne