Complete Shutdown

[TurkeyJohn]

Hey Folks,

Realizing it's winter and all, but we've had a complete egg shutdown for a few months now and getting harder and harder to dissuade my spouse from introducing a pot into the equation when we talk chicken...

I've tried the extra light supplementation, they've been getting loads of layer feed with oyster shell, we also add some scratch and canned corn every morning for a treat...fresh water, fresh bedding, heat lamp set to a thermostat so it's only on in the hard cold....oh, yes, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, it's been a relatively easy winter so far, no snapping cold days yet...none to come we hope...

Do believe it's likely due to our 2 Red Sex-links coming 4 years old and our 4 Bearded Easter Eggers just not being great layers to start with...

Would love to hear if anyone has any insight that I could try that I haven't already or is it just the seasonality of the egg laying and continue to be patient?

TurkeyJohn

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

With the short days egg production will be slower. And at 4 years old production can become even slower.
I have 3 that are 4 years old. One has laid 1 egg the past 2 weeks, one not laying, and the last ones eggs (about every couple of days) has drastically changed shape from nice normal egg shape to very elongated. (2) 10 month old red-sex links laying everyday.
Told hubby the 3 older girls will be going to freezer camp this spring.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Now that we're after winter solstice, eggs will be on the horizon.
I do have some suggestions.
Your corn and scratch are diminishing essential amino acids. Stop all supplements immediately.
I would even switch to a higher protein feed than layer temporarily. Since they aren't building egg shells, they don't need the calcium. Resume the layer when you start getting eggs again.
A 4% calcium feed for older hens that aren't laying can have a negative impact on kidneys and other organs.
You can lose the heat lamp too. That is an unnecessary expense in electric.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

With the short days egg production will be slower. And at 4 years old production can become even slower.
I have 3 that are 4 years old. One has laid 1 egg the past 2 weeks, one not laying, and the last ones eggs (about every couple of days) has drastically changed shape from nice normal egg shape to very elongated. (2) 10 month old red-sex links laying everyday.
Told hubby the 3 older girls will be going to freezer camp this spring.

If you're considering freezer camp, that should be done when they stop laying in the fall, not now. They are ready to start laying again and will continue to do so all spring and summer.
A friend of mine had slightly older hens. She fed them through molt and all winter. By the middle of January, she decided to get rid of them. I told her to wait. There is no reason to get rid of them after feeding all that time.
A week after she gave them away they all started laying like gangbusters.

 

[PirateGirl]

I have had no chicken eggs for at least a month and my birds are younger than yours. I have only one out of four ducks laying and it is the youngest at less than a year old. I know it doesn't solve your problem. You must decide for your family and your flock (and business if you have one) what level of production is or is not acceptable and how you wish to manage your flock rotation. My flock are my pets and my hobby, and yes, I love the eggs and I did get them to be layers, but when they don't produce, we have resorted to buying eggs at the store, no talk of culling. I did mention culling a particularly poor layer, last year she was either broody or in molt and laid a grand total of maybe 3 months of they year, and while the chickens are my hobby and my pet project, my husband was appalled at the notion that I might give her away to be someone's dinner. Are all of your birds the same age? Going forward are you able to add one or two a year so that there is always a younger bird in the mix that will continue to produce? Are you willing to cull from your flock (whether that means giving away or eating or other less productive birds)? What you are experiencing is not abnormal, you must decide though what the best way to deal with it is.

 

[TurkeyJohn]

I have had no chicken eggs for at least a month and my birds are younger than yours. I have only one out of four ducks laying and it is the youngest at less than a year old. I know it doesn't solve your problem. You must decide for your family and your flock (and business if you have one) what level of production is or is not acceptable and how you wish to manage your flock rotation. My flock are my pets and my hobby, and yes, I love the eggs and I did get them to be layers, but when they don't produce, we have resorted to buying eggs at the store, no talk of culling. I did mention culling a particularly poor layer, last year she was either broody or in molt and laid a grand total of maybe 3 months of they year, and while the chickens are my hobby and my pet project, my husband was appalled at the notion that I might give her away to be someone's dinner. Are all of your birds the same age? Going forward are you able to add one or two a year so that there is always a younger bird in the mix that will continue to produce? Are you willing to cull from your flock (whether that means giving away or eating or other less productive birds)? What you are experiencing is not abnormal, you must decide though what the best way to deal with it is.

Yeah, I think the world of my pets with benefits....even the irregularly laying bearded ladies as I'm fond of calling the Easter Eggers...they're just so darned pretty...I do generally get 3 new birds every spring, but I found the Easter Eggers, 'used' last fall, wasn't a great return after feeding them all winter and then they only layed for the spring and early summer, but the eggs were pretty....I'll likely keep all my friends until they pass on their own schedule, but I'll still supplement with 3 more come spring....
Good luck with yours and glad you enjoy them, crazy, never thought a bird hunter like me would enjoy these chickens so much...
TurkeyJohn

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x ChickenCanoe - Your Senior Hens & weather has alot to do with egg production. Cut out all the treats & go to a higher protein feed w/Oyster Shells in a separate dish. I stopped feeding layer, instead feed Flock Raiser w/OS on the side for a few years now Never had a problem with eggs shells, in fact they're pretty strong.

 

[PirateGirl]

Well then you are doing your best. You are giving them good feed. You are adding in new blood periodically to keep production up (plus it's fun to get new birds). My other thought then goes to things like are there ways to cut down feed costs (even if you can afford the feed) so that it balances out over the year and you don't feel like you are spending so much on birds that aren't producing.

 

[PirateGirl]

or maybe the next 3 birds come from a higher production line... just a thought.

 

[TurkeyJohn]

or maybe the next 3 birds come from a higher production line... just a thought.

Have always done well with Red sex-Links, reliable eggers for quite a while, have to say the most recent have lived the longest, did a grower formula for a while in the late fall and I think that helped, considering going back to it as ChickNanny13 suggested...