Drop In Egg Production??

[FarmerBoy24]

My hens seemed to have dropped a little in egg production. I think it's due to the heat. Anybody else noticed a drop?

 

[Kelsey Cathy]

This is the topic I came here looking for this morning. I have 6 chickens...3 white leghorns and 3 golden wyanotts. They had a hard molt over the winter with almost no eggs for several months but the production was picking up to 4/day until the last couple of weeks. Now I am only getting maybe 2/day. We have started letting them out more to free range which I thought might increase their production but no success. Their diets are the same, actually with an increase in goodies since fruits and veggies are back in. A couple of the whites do have poopy butts but their vent areas are very well clear. Would that cause it? We have also had an increase in temperature. Could that be the cause? It didn't effect them last summer. They are 2 y/o now...is that the cause? I understand the egg production wanes at 3.
Any ideas/comments are appreciated.

 

[Hippie Chicks Mom]

WOW, same here!!!!! Same feed, treats. I am letting them free range more. Maybe laying other places??? Maybe age? They are 2 1/2.Interesting!!! Glad I am not alone.

 

[yinepu]

the heat has hurt production here.. I use misters which has helped some.. but every summer when it starts hitting in the low 100's we can plan on having less eggs til the weather breaks

 

[FarmerBoy24]

Quote:
So you think its just the heat?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Egg production is a function of feed consumption and when it's really hot and humid nothing wants to eat much.

This is why you want to hatch your chicks in February and March if you can so the pullets will come fully into lay when the older birds begin to slack off in the heat of summer. The youngest birds will have their eggs up to full size by the time the older birds molt really gets under way.

 

[babyrnlc]

I just came in and posted the opposite. I expected a decrease. I am glad that you posted about the food consumption, cause that is why mine are still probably laying. We are having record highs (it was 107 yesterday and I cannot remember when it was under 100), but these girls are pigs and still eat a lot

 

[FarmerBoy24]

Im back to getting a little over a dozen!!1 I don't know what it was.