Diminished Production

[GreyhoundGuy]

Hi again, all. Looking for advice about our five gals. that we've had since May. They're all between 1-2 years old, apparently healthy, and free range for the majority of the day in our backyard.

Their egg production has dropped WAY down. We used to get 3 eggs a day, sometimes 4 (although it was rare). Now, we're lucky if we get 1 per day. And one of our gals hasn't laid an egg in about a month.

We've searched the yard and have never seen any eggs being laid anywhere else. They like to gather under a cedar tree and have created nesting areas where they like to lay during the day, but I've searched there and have never found eggs.

We tried to put them in the coop / run and re-train them that they are to lay in there. That seemed to work for a couple days. But then after letting them free range again, their production dropped down again.

I know that production can fall off in Fall with dwindling daytime hours, but this feels excessive. Am I missing something obvious?

-Joel

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Production generally stops in the fall for any birds over a year so they can molt and recover. So can resume as early as December, but most won't resume until February to April. So without new birds to cover the coming months in production you probably are going to need to buy eggs.

 

[Zoomie]

OK, let me see if I understand: you locked your girls up in your coop/run area, and then all of a sudden you had eggs again? Then you started free-ranging again and there were no eggs? I might not understand, maybe I have this all wrong. However.

It is true that they stop laying for the molt and for the shortening days. But, if you put them back in the coop and all of a sudden you had eggs again (as long as I don't misunderstand here), I would suspect you have an egg thief. It could be a crow, a magpie, a raven, something like that, even a snake or a dog. But since I've had magpies steal eggs, they are my first suspect.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would more likely guess that they are hiding eggs when allowed to free range...

Did you get your girls as chicks? If not, I wonder if you know what month they were born. A big difference between a hen who is a year old, and one who was born in the spring of 2016. If they were spring hatched, they are closer to 1.5, 2.5 years old. 6 months makes a HUGE difference in productivity. Fall is molt time, and the older birds very well may take a break till the days are getting longer.

 

[aart]

We tried to put them in the coop / run and re-train them that they are to lay in there. That seemed to work for a couple days. But then after letting them free range again, their production dropped down again.

Well, there you go...locked em up and got more eggs? Let them back out and less eggs? Unless I'm missing something, seems obvious that they are lying out in range area.

Will have to lock them up for more than a couple days to re-habituate them to laying in the coop nests.

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[lazy gardener]

I might add to Aart's post above: if you have a run, they don't necessarily need to be locked IN THE COOP. They could be locked in coop/run, as long as the run does not have a lot of hidey place options to put their eggs.

With fall upon us, locking birds in a coop is not as much of an issue. BUT, common sense must prevail at all times. If your coop is over populated (less than 4 s.f./bird) or it gets hot, locking them in coop for prolonged periods of time could be disastrous.

Also, look at your coop set up, including nests. Are the nests big enough? Do they have lots of comfy bedding? (I use hay) Do they have a nice landing strip? (if not floor nests) Are they secure? Any nest box that wobbles will not be chosen. What hen would want to put her eggs in a nest box that is even just a little bit tippy! Are they sleeping in the nests? If so, the birds could be avoiding them for laying.

 

[aart]

I might add to Aart's post above: if you have a run, they don't necessarily need to be locked IN THE COOP

Good point...I edited my post and notes.