drop in egg numbers: molting or age related?

[forester7]

I have had laying hens for a few years now. They are the hybrid type you get at your local farm supplies store. Each year when they hit about 2 years old, production drops off dramatically. For example, right now from my 10 two-year olds, I am getting 1-4 eggs each day. As a result, I have been culling them at this age. Is it possible that it is just molting and production will get close to an egg a day from each again? Or is it most likely an age thing that they won't recover from? I am wondering if I have been doing the right thing by only keeping laying hens up to 2 years of age?

 

[aart]

That can happen with hybrids.
Can also be affected by their environment and diet.
Any bird has ebbs and flows of production thru out the year,
can be normal or caused by stressors like changes to flock dynamics and weather.
Adult molting usually happens in the fall(Aug-Dec in the northern hemisphere).

Knowing more about your goals for keeping chickens,
-your flock size(numbers, ages, genders),
-your coop(size in feet by feet with pics),
-and what and how exactly you are feeding,
might offer clues to if there is a solvable problem.

Where in this world are you located @forester7 ?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[forester7]

aart: I can see how answers to those questions could be helpful. I am in New Brunswick, Canada. I have 2 separate pens for chickens inside a barn. The barn is shared with cattle during the 6 months of winter we have here. Each chicken pen is approx. 6' x 12'. One pen has ten female 2-year old chickens (the ones who have had a significant drop in egg production), and no rooster. The neighboring pen has 12 one-year old laying hens and I get 12 eggs from them most days. My two year-olds have free-range access most days this time of year and have an unlimited supply of water and lay crumbs from our local feed store.

I had someone tell me that withholding feed from the hens for a day or so might set them back to a higher egg production. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[aart]

My two year-olds have free-range access most days this time of year

Hmmm..... Might they be laying out in range area?
Time for an exam......
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/
Then maybe:
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 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, 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.

I had someone tell me that withholding feed from the hens for a day or so might set them back to a higher egg production. Has anyone else experienced this?

Not sure about that, doesn't really sound like a good idea to me to ever withhold feed.

 

[forester7]

I am quite sure they are not laying outside. There are occasional days I don't let them out and I still get the same egg numbers.