Egg laying slowing down

[Martiva]

Hello, I've got 6 heritage mix hens about 6 months old. They started laying may 09, 2020. I was getting 6 eggs per day, occassionaly 5 per day. Averaged 39 per week for several weeks. Now I'm getting 4, 5 occasionaly 6 per day which is a big drop. There feed is the same, weather is good and not to hot. They are free ranging more than previous weeks, could that gave a impact ?, would think it should be a positive ?. Is it that their reproductive state has matured to a state this is the new norm ?. I realize going from 39 per week to 34 last week is not the end of the world but it's the inquisitive side of me.
Thanks for any ideas or insight, much appreciate it.

 

[HappyClucker7]

If they are free ranging, it could be that one of the hens is hiding her eggs. Have you looked under any bushes on your property?

 

[Martiva]

If they are free ranging, it could be that one of the hens is hiding her eggs. Have you looked under any bushes on your property?

I searched the yard yesterday, no eggs hidden, was a good idea to check. Thanks

 

[333113]

There are a couple of reasons that your egg slowdown could be perfectly normal.

If you have heritage hens, some of them may be setters, some not. Setters tend to have a laying pattern of laying enough eggs to hatch (maybe 8 to 12), so that they can then stop, and set on the eggs for about 21 days to see if anyone hatched. Even without a clutch of eggs to set on, they will sometimes pause a week or three before resuming laying. Non-setters tend not to have this pause in laying, which is at least partly why non-setters tend to have higher egg-laying rates than setters.

Here's a link to the Livestock Conservancy's chicken breed comparison chart.
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/chicken-chart
If you know what breeds you have, this may help identify the setters and the non-setters.

Second, some breeds have a laying pattern that is much heavier in the spring, as opposed to later in the summer, or winter. Sebrights and bantam games spring to mind for me, since I have those breeds. So, this may be a time-of-year feature for your flock.

Third, some pullets start out slow, but others put out a volley of eggs to start, and then slow down. Remembering that the actual egg production cycle takes a little longer than a day, there are individual timing differences, even between hens in the same breed. So, this may contribute to the pattern you are seeing.

Hope this helps!

 

[Martiva]

There are a couple of reasons that your egg slowdown could be perfectly normal.

If you have heritage hens, some of them may be setters, some not. Setters tend to have a laying pattern of laying enough eggs to hatch (maybe 8 to 12), so that they can then stop, and set on the eggs for about 21 days to see if anyone hatched. Even without a clutch of eggs to set on, they will sometimes pause a week or three before resuming laying. Non-setters tend not to have this pause in laying, which is at least partly why non-setters tend to have higher egg-laying rates than setters.

Here's a link to the Livestock Conservancy's chicken breed comparison chart.
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/chicken-chart
If you know what breeds you have, this may help identify the setters and the non-setters.

Second, some breeds have a laying pattern that is much heavier in the spring, as opposed to later in the summer, or winter. Sebrights and bantam games spring to mind for me, since I have those breeds. So, this may be a time-of-year feature for your flock.

Third, some pullets start out slow, but others put out a volley of eggs to start, and then slow down. Remembering that the actual egg production cycle takes a little longer than a day, there are individual timing differences, even between hens in the same breed. So, this may contribute to the pattern you are seeing.

Hope this helps!

Wow, what great information. Thank you for the reply. All your points make perfect sence, will monitor their playing habits. Was even thinking about a putting in a camera viewing the nest boxes to see who is doing what Mind you , that might be over the top lol. Thanks again for your reply