Chickens laying infrequently

[PinkBlanket]

I live in Florida and lately the days have been in the high 60s-mid 70s with evenings in the 40s-60s. My girls were laying more eggs than I could handle before winter and then slowed down. I sold about 40 of them including a few roosters (I only have 10 birds left). They have about 10 square feet each + a lot of perch space, constant food and water and nest boxes (that they don't use, they prefer going behind tarps or into their feeder if they can manage to knock the lid off). However, I am only getting 3 eggs a day on average, some days there are no eggs at all, but I hear the sqwaking. I am wondering if they are eating their eggs or if this just isn't their season (all appear to be past molt except one kind of thin girl).

However, I have 16 ducks and they are giving about 14 eggs a day consistently. Are these girls bad layers, is it not their season, or are they eating their eggs? I -was- getting a lot before winter, but I sold a ton of birds and I'm wondering if I accidentally selected the non-layers. Any thoughts?

 

[azygous]

If your layers are over age three, they will naturally be slowing down by now.

If your layers are fresh, then you must look for reasons for disruption of laying - stress from parasites or night time predators or an extreme bully terrorizing the rest or change in diet not providing enough nutrients.

 

[aart]

I live in Florida and lately the days have been in the high 60s-mid 70s with evenings in the 40s-60s. My girls were laying more eggs than I could handle before winter and then slowed down. I sold about 40 of them including a few roosters (I only have 10 birds left). They have about 10 square feet each + a lot of perch space, constant food and water and nest boxes (that they don't use, they prefer going behind tarps or into their feeder if they can manage to knock the lid off). However, I am only getting 3 eggs a day on average, some days there are no eggs at all, but I hear the sqwaking. I am wondering if they are eating their eggs or if this just isn't their season (all appear to be past molt except one kind of thin girl).

However, I have 16 ducks and they are giving about 14 eggs a day consistently. Are these girls bad layers, is it not their season, or are they eating their eggs? I -was- getting a lot before winter, but I sold a ton of birds and I'm wondering if I accidentally selected the non-layers. Any thoughts?

Welcome to BYC!

Need more info to make a viable guess as to why.
How old are the birds?
Did they molt over fall/winter?
What and how exactly are you feeding?
Do they free range?

Can you post pics of your nests?
Have they ever used them?