Disappointing egg production. Why ???

[DDRanch]

Hi all,

My hens have not been laying consistently for several months now. Most days I am getting 5-6 eggs at least 2 from my old girls. Perhaps you can tell me why the younger ones are not laying and advise what to do about it. Here are the basics.

14 hens, 11 at 2 years old and 3 at 7 years old
Have not changed food, water, shelter, or free range time
Diet supplemented with lots of garden greens
Oyster shell available at all times
Have not experienced stress or death that would disrupt the flock
Getting 5-6 eggs daily (2 from old hens)
One broody, no one is molting
No one is sick

In the past I have gotten 8-10 eggs a day from the flock. So, what's up do you think?

Anne
P.S. I don't have space for more hens and my girls stay with me forever, so adding new ones is not an option with my current coop.

 

[noitulover]

what breeds?

different breeds lay a different amount of eggs...

for example: buff orpingtons lay a lot, every day minus a day or two a week... our EE lays about every 2 days... other breeds like silkies/cochins/etc. do not lay as well.

EDIT: whoops! didn't see your tagline...

 

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:
DDRanch my hens had dropped off in egg production too & I hadn't realized it at first but then I heard someone else say some times if you've got 1 hen that goes broody the others will stop laying or slow down & mine had not done that at the start but then I had another hen go broody as well & had 2 & egg production came to almost a complete stop... Then it went back to slow & now that the broodies have started to lay again the others have all started again as well, but it was a gradualy slow down & the start up I think was gradual as well. We're still not really back to full swing here but almost.

 

[noitulover]

also, if it is very hot there, that may be the factor... my EE slows down during the hotter parts of the summer.

 

[momahenTN]

I have gotten a pair of pheonix and the guy i got them from said she was laying. well we have had them for about 3 weeks they are grown but i havent gotten any eggs either. he said they were molting but i havent saw any signs of that either. yes its hot but dang shouldnt i atleast have gotten one by now?

 

[Dirt Road]

Quote:
"Caveat emptor"!!!

Unfortunately is every bit as applicable in endeavors described as "hobbies" as those undertaken for a livelihood, perhaps more so!

Jim

 

[DDRanch]

Quote:
DDRanch my hens had dropped off in egg production too & I hadn't realized it at first but then I heard someone else say some times if you've got 1 hen that goes broody the others will stop laying or slow down & mine had not done that at the start but then I had another hen go broody as well & had 2 & egg production came to almost a complete stop... Then it went back to slow & now that the broodies have started to lay again the others have all started again as well, but it was a gradualy slow down & the start up I think was gradual as well. We're still not really back to full swing here but almost.

ummmmm....You know, I have not heard that but my buff broody is on her 2nd round of broodyness. So she has been broody for probably 3 out of the last 4 months which is when the egg production slowed down. Maybe that is the answer? I don't expect much on really hot days, but our climate doesn't warrant the drop.

 

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:
DDRanch my hens had dropped off in egg production too & I hadn't realized it at first but then I heard someone else say some times if you've got 1 hen that goes broody the others will stop laying or slow down & mine had not done that at the start but then I had another hen go broody as well & had 2 & egg production came to almost a complete stop... Then it went back to slow & now that the broodies have started to lay again the others have all started again as well, but it was a gradualy slow down & the start up I think was gradual as well. We're still not really back to full swing here but almost.

ummmmm....You know, I have not heard that but my buff broody is on her 2nd round of broodyness. So she has been broody for probably 3 out of the last 4 months which is when the egg production slowed down. Maybe that is the answer? I don't expect much on really hot days, but our climate doesn't warrant the drop.

Well the funny thing is that while I can't remember the thread I know it was on BYC I read it. At the time I read it my first hen was broody & it was actually her 2nd time going broody. The early spring was SO warm & she was really a pullet during her 1st but still it was that I put shipped eggs under her that they didn't hatch. When she went broody again I'd come back here looking for something & stumbled on the thread & at the time I thought "phhhf that's not here, but I will remember for future broody girls" well within a week the 2nd hen whent broody & even still I'd thought 2 to 3 eggs a day out of the 3 hens left were pretty good & then I got 1 egg a day & then 1 egg every 2 or 3 days & then sometimes it would go 2 eggs at 4 days.

We're just getting back to getting like 2 to 3 eggs a day now. The chicks were cute & all but I'm out of room for them now & I'd love to have them all just get back to some egg laying now or I should say stay there now at least for a while.

I have a black austrolorp who I think hid an egg on me a week ago & I thought "oh no please don't do it." LOL I think she's over it now & of course I just keep swiping eggs.

 

[pips&peeps]

I would say most of them are about done. A seven year old chicken is more than likely not going to lay anymore.

Most birds purchased from hatcheries are only going to lay well for two years. After that, you will see a big reduction in productivity.

Also they will molt around 18-24 months of age and it will be a big stress on the bird and they may take a while to get back into the swing of things.

Those are my thoughts......

 

[Dirt Road]

P.S. I don't have space for more hens and my girls stay with me forever, so adding new ones is not an option with my current coop.

Probably better plan on buying a lot of the eggs you will eat. Other than a blip in the spring for a few years, it ain't gonna' get better.
As they slowly die off, you can replace them with young ones of course. As pips&peeps pointed out, if you get hatchery birds they will lay well for a couple of years, then taper off. Of course if you get show stock, they usually won't lay well no matter what age they are!

JIm​