Continually Have Low Egg Production - Very Frustrated!

I have put my coop so that the morning sun comes in first summer and winter and the winter sun comes into the coop on the south side. I hope that will keep them lying. OOPS not lying but laying!!!!.

 

Stress or food. I wouldn't expect much from the older birds. You might try to switch foods or possibly add a little higher protein. Walmart sells some sunflower chips in the birdseed aisle which are good. That said, if you don't give them supplemental light, you shouldn't expect much at all.

Stress is a likely candidate too. Heat stress will decrease production. Cold will also decrease production. It may also be possible that they are being harrassed by a predator or three.

 

My Rhode Island Reds have slowed down considerably laying, but my Isa Browns are going strong. Pretty much an egg a day from each one. I average just over 6 eggs per week per each Isa Brown.

 

Since they free range most of the time, is it possible that they are laying their eggs outside instead of in their nesting boxes?

 

Quote:I was just thinking the same thing.

 

I'm pretty sure egg size is related to protein intake. With my chickens that has been the case. I throw a handful of Black oil Sunflower seeds and old fashioned oats to my birds in the morning and the size of their eggs have improved. Sometimes I get a HUGE egg! This Wyandotte egg had 2 large yokes! The egg next to it is a regular sized Wyandotte egg.

 

Thats not an argument for protein, since black oil sunflower seeds are about 15% protein, and oats are about 9% protein. Layer mash usually runs 17%.

 

Quote:Red #1 and the Barred Rock are quite old. Most people who raise hens for high egg production sell/butcher the older generation at 1.5-2.5 years old, and bring in a new batch of pullets to replace them. Old hens don't lay very well, and are rarely cost efficient to keep.

Speckled Sussex and Ameraucanas are usually not very good laying breeds. Good, but not excellent. I'm not sure what the deal is on Red #2. Within my own flock I've noticed that when a hen goes into a double yolker faze, she'll lay once every two to three days, vs. nearly every day like her sisters.

My recommendation is to definitely cull the older hens, and consider culling the Sussex, and replace them with some young pullets of high production breeds. Breeds I'd recommend for high brown egg production are: Black Australorp, Rhode Island Red, and any of the popular commercial Sex-Links.

Also, are you SURE you're finding all the eggs? They don't have a secret stash somewhere, do they? What breeds did your 2 friends that shared the chick order with you get?