egg laying and adding light with a timer questions

[blueseal]

i have 21 chickens total and 1 rooster, iv been getting 12-16 eggs aday from them. i have a light on a timer on at 3am off at 9am . i got 18 eggs friday thats the most so far. in one day iv been useing the light on timer since end of september. what could get them to all lay in one day . they have fresh water and feed 24/7 i feed blueseal layer mash. i give them cracked corn for a treat . the breeds i have are all standard birds i have 14 pullets all 9 months old 6- cinnamon queens , 3- golden laced wyandottes , 2 buff orpingtons , 2 barred rocks, 1 delaware, my older birds are 1.5 to 2 yrs old. they are 2 delaware, 3 buff orpingtons, 2 red sexlinks, 1 white rock rooster 7 months old,

 

[dipence71]

Some don't lay everyday no matter what you do. I have 12 BO hens and 1 roo during summer was getting 7-12 eggs a day. Now I have a light on a timer and went from 3 eggs a day to slowly up to 7-12 a day it varies. Some lay everyday some every other. Just how their body works.

 

[deerman]

The light is good, but feed only layer, no treats or cracked corn. Pullets should lay every day, but your hens that are 2yr old will only lay every other day. Reason egg farms replace their hens every year.

Feeding corn is cheaper ,but will cut down on the eggs.

 

[blueseal]

Quote:
so feeding corn 1 or 2 times a week is to much you think.

 

[deerman]

You are doing good with only 14 pullets, cutting back on the corn should give you a few more eggs. All laying hens need are a good layer feed, and water. You will see eggs drop off after your pullet get over 18 months also.

 

[ginbart]

I'm going to have to disagree with you about the corn. I give my hens cracked corn every night. It helps keep them warm and I'm getting about 18 eggs now from 25 hens. I was only getting 3 to 4 eggs a day. Some are 2 years old some hatched this spring. But I had to change feed and turn the light on 24/7. So I don't really know if it was the light, or feed that started them laying. After this cold front I'm going to put the timer back on like you did blueseal. But I don't think it's a good idea to keep them laying all winter. They will get stressed out.

 

[blueseal]

Quote:
this winter is the first winter adding light for me so i dont know if its a stress on them or not because last year i was getting 8-10 eggs a day with no light from 15 or so birds.

 

[dipence71]

My girls only get "corn" scratch, scraps,ect as a treat now and then and I feed laying hash so I have to disagree on the corn/layerfeed/egg thing. I think they are their own "chick" and some just don't lay everyday. Maybe mine are just lazy and spoiled. But I never expected 12 eggs a day every day from my 12 hens.

 

[deerman]

Best to use the light and feed only a layer feed. remember best laying age for chicken is 6 months to 18 months, so why miss the best laying age.

Depend on why you have them, if for eggs thats the best, then rest them after their first year of laying. If they get to stress they will stop laying, so no need to worry about that.

Corn will put more fat on them for winter, but fat hens are not good layer, and some fat hens will get egg bound!!!!!!

With proper light(16 hr) and proper feed those pullets will lay a egg a day. 2yr old hen hard to get a egg a day, no matter what you feed them, or amount of light, best for them would be a egg every other day....

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Thats only getting 70% of your hens laying. The light is the main thing then the feed, only need 16 hr of light.