Drastic Decrease in Egg Production

[Chicken❤️er]

We have ten adult hens, seven of which should be laying. They free range and get well-balanced feed as well as plenty of treats. Somehow, we end up getting an average of 1-2 eggs a day.
We caught a couple sneaky egg-eaters who buried the remains of the egg underneath the bedding, but we make sure to collect the eggs as soon as they’re laid. We haven’t seen very many eaten eggs ever since.
Our chickens aren’t let out to free range until late afternoon, after the majority of the hens have laid(or should have laid) so it’s not like they lay their eggs somewhere outside the coop. There aren’t any places for them to secretly lay in the run, either.
Does anyone have any ideas about what sneaky business is going on right under our noses? We recently changed their feed to a mix that was recommended by a frien. She said that her hens started laying a lot more after they started eating this feed. Maybe it hasnr been long enough or maybe it’s not the right food for them?
Thanks, Chickener

 

[sourland]

Well, chickens hate change. The change in feed may be a factor. It is also the time of year when year old or older hens molt. Also with shortening day length it is also the time when older birds tend to take a break in the laying cycle.

 

[New2Chicks97]

Some could be waiting until you let them out. My Easter Eggers have like super bird abilities and hold those eggs in until they get let out to free range sometimes. They prefer laying in my haystack!

 

[ShellyBlanco]

I was looking at some background posting by you to find out what kind of hens you have, how old are they and maybe some behavioral antics they display but could find none. So, just to give a little input....I have 10 RIR hens currently 22 weeks, one starting laying at 16 weeks and as of two days ago, we are getting 10 eggs per day from them instead of eight and nine the few weeks prior. When we go to feed them and let them out of "the loft" in the mornings, there are generally two eggs. We were feeding them in the coop first and making them stay for about an hour (well my husband was), then let them out to free range at noon. During that time, the egg laying was a little hectic and one egg got broken and they ate it like they had never been fed, one egg got cracked but they didn't touch it. I noticed that they really want to get out to free ranging early while it is cooler and damp outside, so I started putting their food down in the coop and opening up the door to let them range. Everybody was happier about this. They make their line to lay eggs into two of the eight nesting boxes available. We have only found one egg out of the nesting boxes and that was prior to starting to let them range and come back to lay as they please. We now have a Leghorn laying who will hold that egg til dark if she can't get into a nesting box on her own terms. That's how she spends most of her day, dodging the bullet of the RIRs to lay in their boxes instead of the one we put in her sleeping area. You just have to spend some time really observing them to figure out what is up. Can't wait to hear some more details of your flock, maybe we can give you better advice.

 

[aart]

It is also the time of year when year old or older hens molt. Also with shortening day length it is also the time when older birds tend to take a break in the laying cycle.

My first thought too^^^
The 'Dark Season' is upon us.....
most my adults(18mo and over) have stopped laying.
and most the pullets haven't started yet.

 

[tjb]

My first thought too^^^
The 'Dark Season' is upon us.....
most my adults(18mo and over) have stopped laying.
and most the pullets haven't started yet.

Well, that explains my dramatic drop in egg collection... I was starting to wonder what changed around the coop.