Egg count dropping

[chickensnever]

I feed my 12 chickens lay feed, oyster shells, and scratch grain. My egg count is dropping I collected 9 eggs one day 7 the next 2 then 6 and now I am down to collecting 4 eggs a day. I let them out in the evening to " free range" in the back yard because they seem to love it. What could be happening. I have watched nothing is getting them at night or getting into the yard.

 

[chicmom]

Hello!

My question is, how old are your hens? Sometimes age is a factor.

Could they be laying their eggs outside, since they get to free range?

Is it super hot where you are? Sometimes extreme heat or cold can be a problem with production.

Are any of your hens broody--spending alot of time in the nest boxes? They will stop laying if they're broody.

Could they be molting? Shedding feathers and getting new ones? Sometimes they don't lay during a molt.

 

[Judy]

Yup. My 10 have gone from about 9 to about 5. I'm seeing some feathers so probably at least one is in a molt though it's nothing that I can see on the chickens, yet. I figure the rest of the decrease is probably the increasing heat.

 

[canesisters]

Some say that adding a little black pepper to their food (like on a treat) will up the egg count......

 

[chickensnever]

I not sure how old got them from a feed store I have had them for about a month almost 2 months with half of them. No eggs in yard I sit outside with them because they are to funny to watch. Then we do our yard walk to check just in case one got away. No one seems to be broody they mostly lay in the holes in their pen when not chaseing the perfect bug around. Molt not sure have not noticed feathers in their pen maybe one or 2 here or there. Hot well that could be it I live in Texas been in the mid 90s for a good month. I thought maybe food or to much grain or bugs or who knows............................