Egg Laying Slowing Down

[weebles&wobblesmom]

All winter long I was getting 10 to 12 eggs a day and up til a few days ago, I was still getting that number, now I'm getting 6 to 10.

I had a heat lamp on them all winter and now I don't, could that be why they have slowed down? Is this normal?

Thanks

 

[mikecnorthwest]

How old are they and any chance they could be molting?

 

[Den in Penn]

Lessening the amount of light can cause them to sow down.

 

[dolly85]

I agree with the previous poster, decreasing the amount of light can disrupt the hens laying cycle.

 

[weebles&wobblesmom]

They are a year old and they dont look like they're molting yet We were thinking that it might be because we turned off the heat lamp, so we turned it back on. (plus it's been getting cool at night again.) The weather has been really crazy. Its been up in the 80s and now its back down to the 40s & 50s. Didnt know if maybe that could be a factor too.

These are my first chickens so still learning things.

Also, (I know this doesnt have anything to do with laying) they have been acting like they arent getting enough to eat. We were feeding them twice a day, layer mixed with cracked corn to help with warmth for the winter, and we had kicked them down to once a day w/o cracked corn. My husband fed them this morning and when he went to feed them tonight, he said they were all over him.

Thank you for all the nelp.

 

[Den in Penn]

Save some watts. They don't need heat in the coop when its in the 40s & 50s. Switch the heat bulb for for a regular low watt bulb. If you want, you can put it on a timer, so they get some dark to sleep in.

A LF eats around 1/4 to 1/3 pounds of food a day. Do you free range? When cutting out the corn, did you keep the right amount? Changeing their diet can slow down egg production, while they eat less hopeing for the feed they want. They'll get used to the change.