Chickens are not laying much...Help

[wickett]

We have 5 chickens they are little of two years old. They have all laid so well getting 4-5 eggs daily since they started laying. But now in the past couple months they have slowed down to laying only 1-2 eggs a day. We haven't changed the feed, which is layer pellets and some scratch as well as they free range for about 4-8 hours a day. They are still getting plenty of daylight appoximately 12 hours a day. They have never molted and are not molting now. Have any of you come across something like this? Do you have any ideas what can help? I don't want to have to start buying eggs. YUCK!
-wickett

 

[Mrs.Puff]

well, you're chickens are getting up there in years, and they should start molting soon. If they were super-power layers before, they might just be all laid-out. I've heard of Leghorns laying like crazy then just keeling over, all worn out. Do you notice any feathers starting to pile up under the roosts. They won't necessarily loose lots and lots of feathers all at once. Maybe just a few at a time, and they'll look scraggly. Plus, I've heard optimum daylight hours is 14. Maybe it's time to introduce some new pullets.

 

[wickett]

Thanks Mrs. Puff... We have had a few feathers laying around and maybe that is what it is. I thought when they molted they lost a lot of feathers at once but this maybe the problem. We are going into winter here in Utah and are planning on adding some more pullets in the spring time. Thanks for the advice.