Egg production and feed consumption down

[vigario]

I have eight hens and a rooster in two coops that both open up to a 40x40 run. They also have an opening that lets them into our back yard (about 3/4 of an acre) so they can free range.

Well, once they started getting into my wife's flower gardens (even though we put wire around them) and killing some plants we have limited their access to free ranging in the back yard to after we get home from work so we can watch them.

I have noticed that their egg production had diminished and they are not eating as much of their laying pellets as they used to.

Is there any connection to that and the fact that I am limiting their free ranging time?

Thanks.

Mark

 

[madamwlf]

They should eat less pellets because you are free ranging them. So they are getting food while milling about. As far as less production, what are the temps there? When it gets really hot, production does go down some.

 

[vigario]

Maybe that is it. It has been in triple digits here the last week.

Mark

 

[kemclaughlin]

Quote:
If it has suddenly gotten really hot, like it did here, maybe the change coincided with the heat causing them to eat and lay less.