chickens not laying eggs...

[All4Eggz]

I have noticed every year that there is a summer decline in egg production. I have always attributed it to the heat. But this year has been the coolest summer (comfortable to me, few days over 90, more than normal days below 80) I’ve seen in a long time. I was expecting that to translate into no slow down of eggs. But, unfortunately, the slow down is occurring anyway.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the summer lull is caused by other things than just heat. After the bonanza of eggs mine produced all spring, it makes sense that their bodies might not be able to keep it up long term.

How my egg production fluctuates is: the most in the spring, drop off during summer heat, rises again as the weather cools, drops off during molt, picks up again after most are done molting, (late fall, which also coincides with my main crop of chicks reaching point of lay) Then gradually drops off again so that by Christmas I’m getting zero, or very few. Those few would be my new layers that might continue all winter, and a few older troopers like Rocks, who will also lay all winter. So the month of January is the slowest month, and then towards the end of January it starts picking up, and by March, I’m inundated again until June.

This is my 7th year with chickens, and I have seen this cycle very consistently.

Same here.
Thanks for your comment

 

[Mrs. K]

Finnie makes an excellent point, and I too have seen the lull.

 

[All4Eggz]

Finnie makes an excellent point, and I too have seen the lull.

I agree. I have noticed a similar pattern as well.

 

[Kelljp]

In the beginning of this year, we've had great egg production - around 2 dozen a day.
It's true, we've had some losses (only a couple hens), so now our hen count is at 25. In the beginning of this year, it was almost 30.

Now, we are only getting about 10 eggs. What could be the issue? Stress?
Whatever it may be, I'm willing to try and fix it because we cannot support our entire household and families with less than a dozen. And we have customers that buy our eggs on a weekly basis, claiming "we want your fresh, orange-yolked goodness, rather than pale store-bought old eggs".

The flock has constant access to water. Dry food (mixed grains, layer pellets, whole corn, etc.) is given once in the morning, then we let them out to free range all day long. And sometimes in the evening we give them a little more dry food. In the morning, also, we give them a bucket of food scraps. With our big family, we get lots and lots of food scraps which they LOVE.

Are we doing something wrong? Are they stressed? Our neighbors have dogs that bark alot- could that be an issue?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

edit: I forgot to add that we mix in crushed oyster shell for calcium into their dry food every day.

Temperature is likely the problem this time of year. If it were stress it would affect the whole flock. Out of curiosity do you have a rooster ? Without one I've seen hens not as productive.

 

[Holly op]

In the beginning of this year, we've had great egg production - around 2 dozen a day.
It's true, we've had some losses (only a couple hens), so now our hen count is at 25. In the beginning of this year, it was almost 30.

Now, we are only getting about 10 eggs. What could be the issue? Stress?
Whatever it may be, I'm willing to try and fix it because we cannot support our entire household and families with less than a dozen. And we have customers that buy our eggs on a weekly basis, claiming "we want your fresh, orange-yolked goodness, rather than pale store-bought old eggs".

The flock has constant access to water. Dry food (mixed grains, layer pellets, whole corn, etc.) is given once in the morning, then we let them out to free range all day long. And sometimes in the evening we give them a little more dry food. In the morning, also, we give them a bucket of food scraps. With our big family, we get lots and lots of food scraps which they LOVE.

Are we doing something wrong? Are they stressed? Our neighbors have dogs that bark alot- could that be an issue?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

edit: I forgot to add that we mix in crushed oyster shell for calcium into their dry food every day.

 

[LoriBurke]

In the beginning of this year, we've had great egg production - around 2 dozen a day.
It's true, we've had some losses (only a couple hens), so now our hen count is at 25. In the beginning of this year, it was almost 30.

Now, we are only getting about 10 eggs. What could be the issue? Stress?
Whatever it may be, I'm willing to try and fix it because we cannot support our entire household and families with less than a dozen. And we have customers that buy our eggs on a weekly basis, claiming "we want your fresh, orange-yolked goodness, rather than pale store-bought old eggs".

The flock has constant access to water. Dry food (mixed grains, layer pellets, whole corn, etc.) is given once in the morning, then we let them out to free range all day long. And sometimes in the evening we give them a little more dry food. In the morning, also, we give them a bucket of food scraps. With our big family, we get lots and lots of food scraps which they LOVE.

Are we doing something wrong? Are they stressed? Our neighbors have dogs that bark alot- could that be an issue?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

edit: I forgot to add that we mix in crushed oyster shell for calcium into their dry food every day.

It has rained and rained here as well and my egg production has fallen off too. When its not raining it is HOT (Southeast Texas). I have started giving them probiotics and electrolytes on alternate days and that seems to help. When it quit raining for a few days and they were able to lay out in the sun I got more eggs… then it rained for days again. I hope you get it figured out.

 

[Bella Dominique]

Can you give them free access to feed all day or is that too expensive?

 

[jeanette bettis]

In the beginning of this year, we've had great egg production - around 2 dozen a day.
It's true, we've had some losses (only a couple hens), so now our hen count is at 25. In the beginning of this year, it was almost 30.

Now, we are only getting about 10 eggs. What could be the issue? Stress?
Whatever it may be, I'm willing to try and fix it because we cannot support our entire household and families with less than a dozen. And we have customers that buy our eggs on a weekly basis, claiming "we want your fresh, orange-yolked goodness, rather than pale store-bought old eggs".

The flock has constant access to water. Dry food (mixed grains, layer pellets, whole corn, etc.) is given once in the morning, then we let them out to free range all day long. And sometimes in the evening we give them a little more dry food. In the morning, also, we give them a bucket of food scraps. With our big family, we get lots and lots of food scraps which they LOVE.

Are we doing something wrong? Are they stressed? Our neighbors have dogs that bark alot- could that be an issue?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

edit: I forgot to add that we mix in crushed oyster shell for calcium into their dry food every day.

Table scraps yuk, double yuk. I feed commercial flock raiser and each day chopped lettuce, cucumber. celery, tomatoes and canned corn. My 3 ducks get the same and I get huge eggs

 

[chickencoop57]

My egg production is down as well. Weve had a lot of rain, plus the heat and humidity have been pretty rough, but my hens have been molting for a while now, so I'm figuring with all that going on, it could be causing them stress, thus, less egg's.

 

[Strix-Aliana]

I’ve read through the comments and you don’t seem to think heat is an issue. It could possibly be the lack of sun someone mentioned. Also, are there any other uninvited critters nesting in your coop? Mice for example? Anything that would deem the coop a less than perfect place to lay? If they’re free ranged they could be laying someplace other than the coop. I often find random collections of eggs in our barn as I’m puttering around in there. Or perhaps even under some bushes/other safe structure? If the coop is big enough maybe keep them in there for a full day to see the true number of eggs they lay.
My chickens also aren’t producing nearly as many eggs as usual and I can’t blame the heat because it’s not any hotter this year than years prior.