Egg Production Reduction (say that 3x's fast)

[lfoose]

All thru the winter my hens were laying well. I was getting about 3 dz a week out of about 8 hens. These past couple of weeks, the eggs have dropped to a little over a1 dz a week.

Now, the differences:
Two of our four roosters were sold and one hen has been quarentined for illness. None of the others appear sick.
One hen has been broody and sitting on her golf ball for a month and now has an egg.
Another hen went broody and is sitting on an egg also.

Any ideas?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

You have explained the reduction!

One sick hen not laying and two broodies not laying. That means you are down to five possible layers.

 

[wynedot55]

an 1 or 2 of them could be molting as well.

 

[lfoose]

I thought of that too but I have only been getting one or two eggs a day...down from 5-7. The first broody hen hasn't given me an egg since Feb.

I know the real reason they quit. I made the mistake of saying out loud that they were starting to bring in enough $ to cover their cost and buy chicks. It's like never say you have extra $ when you are in your house, otherwise the furnace breaks...