Egg production dropped even with supplemental lighting-why?

[Wezdin]

Sorry to hear you aren't getting the full amount of eggs, what are the chances they are laying outside of the egg box in a corner? I had hens do that during winter for no apparent reason... Chickens can be quirky sometimes

 

[tweetzone86]

Whoa slow down. This isn't a debate on to light or not to light. You do not need to be so hostile! For the record, a) we have hydroelectric power out here in north Idaho so our electric bill isn't high (on comfort billing at 95 per month AND because it's hydroelectric, it's green energy), almost all our appliances like furnace, water heater, etc use natural gas which is clean-burning (however, dryer, fridge and d/w is electric, reflecting the elec rate, until we get our gas dryer installed at least). I also have kids who sometimes forget to turn lights and radio off. It happens.

Not only that, but I currently DON'T have electricity out in my coop (which is the back portion of a 10x20 shed/workshop) so I have a 12 gauge extension cord temporarily in place to run a 32 WATT 10-year LED 4' shop light until we can rewire it (previous owners knew nothing about electricity and there were so many violations it's a miracle we didn't have a shed fire/explosion). Shed is insulated, but I have a screened window open (and chicken door during daytime) to provide plenty of ventilation without the need of any other electricity in there. I crack their water ice if there is any, but so far only had it once when temps got into the teens.

That 32 watt shop light only uses 448 watts per day at 14 hours, and is a daylight bulb so as far as the chickens are concerned, it's not that different from being outside in springtime.

Chickens at the equator have 14 hours of daylight all year long, and they do not suffer ANY adverse effects from it, so why should 14 hours of supplemental lighting be any different?

I respect your choice to not use supplemental lighting. It's not what I chose, and not just because my husband said what he did (he was a little annoyed I got them without at least telling him first, but it's all good now), but also because I want to eat healthy eggs from healthy chickens, not factory eggs from abused and mistreated chickens.

My question was simply a query as to why they might have lowered their production when I hadn't changed anything. I wasn't sure if they might be ill, if I was doing something wrong in terms of feed, if one or two might be egg-bound, etc (I haven't noticed any walking like penguins, so I don't think that's it but wanted to ask more experienced folks if they had any ideas). It was not meant to devolve into hostility and a debate on the pros and cons of supplemental lighting.

I have been very respectful in my replies. I do not appreciate the hostility and seemingly displaced anger of your electric bill heaped on me simply because I asked a perfectly reasonable question.

Now, I do understand that WITHOUT LIGHTING a chicken's production may slow or even full stop in winter due to decreasing day length. Laying depends on at least 14 hours of light because it's a hormone response in a chicken's brain triggered by light. As such, I have 14 hours of light in there, and have had it since the days went below 14 hours, or about mid-October.

Since then, I've gotten 10-12 eggs every day from them. It's only in the past 3 weeks that it has gone down. They aren't molting, and nothing's changed except a couple snow events (and not much at that-only a couple inches and only lasted for a day til it rained and melted off).

Logically, if they have 14 hours they should be laying as though it were springtime and long days. Yet production still dropped a little, which means I need to examine what I'm doing because it's a change and I want to make sure that the change isn't a sign of something more serious.

If you will continue to be hostile, I will ignore your posts and if your hostility increases in severity, I will report you to BYC. I do not want to have to do that, so please be respectful in your future posts. Thank you.

 

[tweetzone86]

Sorry to hear you aren't getting the full amount of eggs, what are the chances they are laying outside of the egg box in a corner? I had hens do that during winter for no apparent reason... Chickens can be quirky sometimes

I have looked and haven't seen anything (I am afraid of stepping on one under the straw). I will look again and maybe stir up the straw a bit to see if I've missed any. They haven't laid outside the nest boxes since I put a fourth one in there, but as you said, chickens are weird sometimes

 

[Wezdin]

Whoa slow down. This isn't a debate on to light or not to light. You do not need to be so hostile! For the record, a) we have hydroelectric power out here in north Idaho so our electric bill isn't high (on comfort billing at 95 per month AND because it's hydroelectric, it's green energy), almost all our appliances like furnace, water heater, etc use natural gas which is clean-burning (however, dryer, fridge and d/w is electric, reflecting the elec rate, until we get our gas dryer installed at least). I also have kids who sometimes forget to turn lights and radio off. It happens.

Not only that, but I currently DON'T have electricity out in my coop (which is the back portion of a 10x20 shed/workshop) so I have a 12 gauge extension cord temporarily in place to run a 32 WATT 10-year LED 4' shop light until we can rewire it (previous owners knew nothing about electricity and there were so many violations it's a miracle we didn't have a shed fire/explosion). Shed is insulated, but I have a screened window open (and chicken door during daytime) to provide plenty of ventilation without the need of any other electricity in there. I crack their water ice if there is any, but so far only had it once when temps got into the teens.

That 32 watt shop light only uses 448 watts per day at 14 hours, and is a daylight bulb so as far as the chickens are concerned, it's not that different from being outside in springtime.

Chickens at the equator have 14 hours of daylight all year long, and they do not suffer ANY adverse effects from it, so why should 14 hours of supplemental lighting be any different?

I respect your choice to not use supplemental lighting. It's not what I chose, and not just because my husband said what he did (he was a little annoyed I got them without at least telling him first, but it's all good now), but also because I want to eat healthy eggs from healthy chickens, not factory eggs from abused and mistreated chickens.

My question was simply a query as to why they might have lowered their production when I hadn't changed anything. I wasn't sure if they might be ill, if I was doing something wrong in terms of feed, if one or two might be egg-bound, etc (I haven't noticed any walking like penguins, so I don't think that's it but wanted to ask more experienced folks if they had any ideas). It was not meant to devolve into hostility and a debate on the pros and cons of supplemental lighting.

I have been very respectful in my replies. I do not appreciate the hostility and seemingly displaced anger of your electric bill heaped on me simply because I asked a perfectly reasonable question.

Now, I do understand that WITHOUT LIGHTING a chicken's production may slow or even full stop in winter due to decreasing day length. Laying depends on at least 14 hours of light because it's a hormone response in a chicken's brain triggered by light. As such, I have 14 hours of light in there, and have had it since the days went below 14 hours, or about mid-October.

Since then, I've gotten 10-12 eggs every day from them. It's only in the past 3 weeks that it has gone down. They aren't molting, and nothing's changed except a couple snow events (and not much at that-only a couple inches and only lasted for a day til it rained and melted off).

Logically, if they have 14 hours they should be laying as though it were springtime and long days. Yet production still dropped a little, which means I need to examine what I'm doing because it's a change and I want to make sure that the change isn't a sign of something more serious.

If you will continue to be hostile, I will ignore your posts and if your hostility increases in severity, I will report you to BYC. I do not want to have to do that, so please be respectful in your future posts. Thank you.

 

[townchicks]

Maybe some are starting to molt? Are their combs still red?

 

[mixedbreeds]

Yes chickens are weird, I have been having the same thing going on here I’m in eastern wa. It seems they slow down when it snows and during the gloomy days. I have also been growing them fodder just started giving them that again this year that seems to increase there production some also. They do bounce around on egg numbers though with the gray days.

 

[WindingRoad]

Whoa slow down. This isn't a debate on to light or not to light. You do not need to be so hostile! For the record, a) we have hydroelectric power out here in north Idaho so our electric bill isn't high (on comfort billing at 95 per month AND because it's hydroelectric, it's green energy), almost all our appliances like furnace, water heater, etc use natural gas which is clean-burning (however, dryer, fridge and d/w is electric, reflecting the elec rate, until we get our gas dryer installed at least). I also have kids who sometimes forget to turn lights and radio off. It happens.

Not only that, but I currently DON'T have electricity out in my coop (which is the back portion of a 10x20 shed/workshop) so I have a 12 gauge extension cord temporarily in place to run a 32 WATT 10-year LED 4' shop light until we can rewire it (previous owners knew nothing about electricity and there were so many violations it's a miracle we didn't have a shed fire/explosion). Shed is insulated, but I have a screened window open (and chicken door during daytime) to provide plenty of ventilation without the need of any other electricity in there. I crack their water ice if there is any, but so far only had it once when temps got into the teens.

That 32 watt shop light only uses 448 watts per day at 14 hours, and is a daylight bulb so as far as the chickens are concerned, it's not that different from being outside in springtime.

Chickens at the equator have 14 hours of daylight all year long, and they do not suffer ANY adverse effects from it, so why should 14 hours of supplemental lighting be any different?

I respect your choice to not use supplemental lighting. It's not what I chose, and not just because my husband said what he did (he was a little annoyed I got them without at least telling him first, but it's all good now), but also because I want to eat healthy eggs from healthy chickens, not factory eggs from abused and mistreated chickens.

My question was simply a query as to why they might have lowered their production when I hadn't changed anything. I wasn't sure if they might be ill, if I was doing something wrong in terms of feed, if one or two might be egg-bound, etc (I haven't noticed any walking like penguins, so I don't think that's it but wanted to ask more experienced folks if they had any ideas). It was not meant to devolve into hostility and a debate on the pros and cons of supplemental lighting.

I have been very respectful in my replies. I do not appreciate the hostility and seemingly displaced anger of your electric bill heaped on me simply because I asked a perfectly reasonable question.

Now, I do understand that WITHOUT LIGHTING a chicken's production may slow or even full stop in winter due to decreasing day length. Laying depends on at least 14 hours of light because it's a hormone response in a chicken's brain triggered by light. As such, I have 14 hours of light in there, and have had it since the days went below 14 hours, or about mid-October.

Since then, I've gotten 10-12 eggs every day from them. It's only in the past 3 weeks that it has gone down. They aren't molting, and nothing's changed except a couple snow events (and not much at that-only a couple inches and only lasted for a day til it rained and melted off).

Logically, if they have 14 hours they should be laying as though it were springtime and long days. Yet production still dropped a little, which means I need to examine what I'm doing because it's a change and I want to make sure that the change isn't a sign of something more serious.

If you will continue to be hostile, I will ignore your posts and if your hostility increases in severity, I will report you to BYC. I do not want to have to do that, so please be respectful in your future posts. Thank you.

Just one more thing. It's still WINTER. And evidently, in your hostility, you missed that. Chickens are not robots they need to rest. They do that in the winter. So ever with your supplemental light they are not keeping up production so why have the extra light. You asked why they have slowed down laying. We've told you. And I bet at the equator the chickens slow down laying in the heat of summer.

 

[Acre4Me]

They are young pullets, not so likely to molt yet.

Check for mites/lice? They can pick this up from wild birds visiting coop/run, feeder. Ours had lice (from wild birds), we sprayed with permethrin -the coop and the birds, but it was earlier/warmer out.

We have supplemental light for 15 hours/day. It’s been said 14 hours is minimum, so if you have it on a timer, bump it up an extra 15 min, or 30 min (whatever timer increment is).

I’ve noticed our pullets (10 months old) have some low production days this winter. But, we have heritage breeds, so best I expect is 6/week/bird, but in winter seems more like 4-5/ week/bird.

Good feeding them higher protein. Make sure they are drinking enough water. If anything affects egg production, water consumption/availability is high on that list.

 

[MissLavender]

My production decreases significantly when the weather is icky. Maybe they're just on strike because of the snow?? Give it a few days and see if production increases with better weather.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Just one more thing. It's still WINTER. And evidently, in your hostility, you missed that. Chickens are not robots they need to rest. They do that in the winter. So ever with your supplemental light they are not keeping up production so why have the extra light. You asked why they have slowed down laying. We've told you. And I bet at the equator the chickens slow down laying in the heat of summer.

I agree