Drastic measures to save my girls but now no eggs anymore.

[Lady Ressler]

I moved about a month ago and tried to keep my girls at our new farmsted but immediately had a predetor problem. My Great pyrenese has since reduced but not eliminated the unwanted. The coop was old and full of holes so dh and I decided to start over.

The beginings of the new coop has been delayed due to harvest so our temporary solution was to put the girls in the coop his parents have 1/4 mile down the road. The problem that comes with that is that we had to board most of the windows up since they were broken and then put wire over the rest to make sure they still had ventilation.

Now they have hardley any light. Is this why no one is laying? What kind of lighting to I need to impliment to increase their production. Out of about 25 hens, 10 of which I KNOW are or have already begun laying, I am geting no more than 3 eggs a day.

 

[sourland]

The move coupled with reduced light has most likely caused the reduction in egg laying. 14 hours of light daily is recommended for optimum egg production.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Depending on their age, they may be molting as well.

 

[Lady Ressler]

So for lighting is it just a normal light bulb? I have read that it is best to start the light right away in the morning and then let dusk happen naturally. However, I have not seen anything on what type of lighting.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Chicks on DL]

After a predator it took my hens a couple weeks to get back to laying normal. I even had some shell-less eggs. Also, the stress of moving the coop a couple times and putting in a pool caused my Buff Orphington to stop laying for several weeks. The lack of light definitely is probably your main issue.

 

[Happy Chooks]

So for lighting is it just a normal light bulb? I have read that it is best to start the light right away in the morning and then let dusk happen naturally. However, I have not seen anything on what type of lighting.

Thank you for your help.

Just like a 40 watt bulb is fine - it doesn't have to be super bright. Enough to read a newspaper by.

 

[Lady Ressler]

I don't know how fast the light bulb thing is supposed to work but today I GOT EGGS!!!

I was only getting a few a day and sometimes only one. Today I got 6. That still isn't where it should be but it is am improovement I will take. Thank you for the lighting specifics.

I let you know how many I get tomorrow.

 

[Lady Ressler]

Only one today.