Egg Laying Cycle for 1 year old hens??

[Balboaroc]

I have a flock of 7 hens just over a year old (breeds are listed in siggy). I've noticed over the last 2 weeks I seem to not be getting as many eggs as I used to. The last 2 days in particular were only 2 eggs a day. I plan on keeping track on my calendar for the next few weeks to see just how many I'm getting. I just think its odd they seem to be slowing down now when they laid really consistent though that horrible winter we had in Maryland.

One hen I know isn't laying at all. My cochin, she just got out of being broody and is now molting (I'm assuming because of the broodiness was extended). She has the pale comb and all and I know what her eggs look like.

Out of 6 supposed layers though it seems odd to be getting only 2 eggs a day. I like my flock but I also have a set of peeps coming up and can't afford to have 7 pets. Its bad enough that I have given my cochin a lifetime pass LOL.

I can't think of anything out of the ordinary that could be causing any changes. Weather has been relatively consistent here now. We did split our run in half in the last 2 weeks to move the peeps down there though they appear to care less about the peeps next to them. The hens get plenty of free range time every day (most of the day) and even despite splitting the run in half its still a very large space for them. We did switch them from crumbles to pellets but that was back in February.

Any thoughts or is this a normal slowing at a year?

 

[rancher hicks]

Well I doubt the boys, boxer , lab or cat will lay anything.
The wyandottes and the cochin are not proficient egg layers I believe. The others however should be decent. Contrary to opinions hens don't lay everyday.
Have you made any changes? Clean the coop, rearrange the roost or nest boxes? Has anything happened or has there been any excitement in the coop? New birds or some taken away? Change in feed? From one brand to another? Have you wormed them since spring began or do you worm at all? Dusted for mites? Not that any of these exist but an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Do you have a routine and has this changed. EX. open at 6:00 am close at 8:00pm. Coops clean, no smell of ammonia? Ventilation good? Temp inside coop is good? Better cooler than warmer.
Are you feeding on demand? Have a friend who does not and then wonders why her hens don't lay well. Are you over feeding, fat hens don't lay. Practical Poultry mag had a great article on how to tell who is laying and whether a hen is too fat.


None of these may be a problem just running down the list of possible reasons.

All the best
Rancher

 

[trackersranch]

I have been wondering the same thing. I have 6 hens (Barred Plymouth Rock) and they were laying really well last summer/fall (8 or so almost every day) and then layed consistently through the winter (about 4 everyday). Now I am getting maybe 2 at most everyday. I did put them in the barn all winter and then moved them back out to their pen about a month ago. Feeding is the same. Maybe a few are a little fat. I may have to look into that a little better. Also I guess I need to try to find out which hens are laying. I just love this site! I always find what I need here. I was also curious since these are my first chickens ever, how long hens will lay for? A couple of years?

 

[stonemeadowgirl]

The chickens that have slowed in production may be going thru a molt.
I have three ameraucana (spelling?) hens that are around seven years old and they still lay almost every day once we get more daylight.
I do not put a light in their coop during the shorter days because we have a neighbor to get eggs from in the winter.

 

[rancher hicks]

I noticed my hens layed better when in confinement. Not as good when free range, but then I wonder if they are eating enough of the right stuff.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Free ranging is the best diet, but some of the hens will hide the eggs which means you get less. Whether or not they are truly "hiding" them or just too lazy to walk over to the coop is up to the individual hen's personality though. LOL
I free range every day, but if egg production drops off for more than a day or two I lock everybody in the coop until I'm getting all my eggs in the nest boxes again.

 

[Balboaroc]

Yeah with the free range I noticed last year that if I let them out too early in the morning they won't lay well that day. Since then I only let them out after 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I know one lady of mine lays that late or even later but generally everyone is done by that time. That way also I know they have good access to feed for the morning. When I consider the fenced in area size they have a good acre to free range on including my garden. Man they love that compost pile too. They make a bit of a mess but I know they enjoy it so much so I just leave it vs putting a pallet in the opening.

I'm keeping all the suggestions in mind. I'm thinking maybe part of it is putting the peeps in the run next to them. I'm going to consider worming them also. I read online with them free ranging its a good idea and doesn't seem too hard to do.

I appreciate the suggestions.

 

[trilyn]

Quote:
I've noticed this myself, if I'm home on the weekend and I let them out early, the numbers decline. Now today, I'm just about to wander out there and let them out to roam and it's going on two o'clock. I know most of the girls are done by now and I should get around 20 eggs, but if I let them out earlier, I'm lucky to get 15!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

For anyone that free ranges and has an unexplained reduction in laying, I always recommend keeping the chickens in the run for a few days, to see how many eggs you are supposed to be getting per day. Some chickens are bad about finding new nesting spots out in the yard. If you find that you are getting a lot more eggs when they aren't allowed out, then you can try not free ranging for a bit, to retrain them to lay in the coop. You can try not free ranging until later in the day, but mine go back to the coop at different times during the middle of the day to lay.

Do you think that some day in the distant future, there will be an automated nest box that provides a small treat to a chicken, when an egg is laid in it??? Maybe that would inspire the lazy ones to get their fluffy behinds back to the coop. Broodies, well, they are just hard core.