my two buff orps started laying on 3-28-08, one egg each per day, lately im only getting one per day or none for a day or to ,then picks back up. Any thoughts or suggestions?
I am from Florida too. I have 6 RIR's they have been laying consistantly 5 / 6 eggs every day except lately. In the last couple of weeks I have been getting 2/3 and once in awhile 4 eggs. They are not molting and nothing has changed in their diet except I haven't been giving the scratch (cracked corn) because I have read on many forums and other poultry sites that it is not good to give them cracked corn in warm/hot weather. Lately here it has been mid 80's daytime here and lower 60"s/Upper 50's at night, (which is actually 6 to 7am for the lowest temps). It averages upper 60's most of the night until early am. They have shade and their food and water are kept in the coup to which they have 24 hr. access.
In addition to the ckicken not laying good lately, I just noticed that a couple of the chickens have kind of pale, not bright red combs & wattles. They are eating and drinking fine. I clean their water every day and make sure their feed is good and fresh. They get treats such as oats, sunflower seeds and I started giving them a wee bit if scratch again. Also they get stuff from the garden such as lettuce, carrots, greens, peas, NO potatoes. I have given them a grapefruit cut in half once in awhile until I read that citrus was not good for them. they are 8 months old. They started laying at 17 weeks old.
Hey folks thanks for replying. I have been busy with other issues since I first posted. Things are kinda back to normal with 2 a day again. I wasn't aware of the feeding scratch with warmer weather thing, so I guess i'll be monitoring that. Thanks.