Egg Production Way Down - Don't Know Why

[EggheadsRus]

Hi Ya'll,

I have 12 Australorp hens that used to give me a minimum of 2 dozen eggs a week and now I'm lucky if I getting 6-8 eggs. This has been going on for the past month or so. I know that heat can sometimes affect egg production but I've had these girls for two years and the heat didn't bother them at all last year. I live in MS where it gets hot and humid in the summertime (earlier than normal this year). Does anyone have any ideas why they have almost come to a complete stop in the egg department?

EggheadsRus

 

[texasgal]

Age
Feed
Environment
Molt

As much as we'd like, they aren't little machines. I've also had a drop off in my egg production .. I contribute it to heat and increased predator harrassment ... I can work on one, but not much I can do about the other ..

Good luck!

 

[EggheadsRus]

Quote:
Age: they will be 2yrs old end of July -- should they already be going way down in production?

Feed: we give them layer pellets, scratch 2x day and they have a small container of oyster shells

Environment: besides the heat things haven't changed much in the past two months. The only predators we get are snakes as our dogs and the pigs keep everything else away. I have caught a snake in their run before and their egg production didn't change.

Molt: don't they normally molt in the fall? a few of them do seem to be molting now as they have no feathers on their necks... at least I assume that is molt

This is seriously affecting my egg sales as I have a standing order for 2-3 dozen a week, and now can't even gather up 1 dozen!!

 

[patman75]

After their 2nd year molt production will decline. Sounds like you have some molting now.

Maybe you have a predator stealing some eggs. Snake? Crow?

 

[EggheadsRus]

Quote:
How long does a molt last on average? Hmm..might have another pesky snake stealing some eggs; definitely not a crow or anything else as they are enclosed in a run and we have a layer box for them so anything larger than a snake can't get in...

I heard that if you put sulfur down around the outside that snakes won't cross it, might need to try that.



EggheadsRus

 

[patman75]

You could try deer neting around the run. the snakes would get tangled in it.

 

[Judy]

I saw a thread here the other day about using those old fashioned metal minnow buckets to catch snakes; evidently worked quite well. Like minnows, snakes apparently can't figure out how to get out of the cone shaped entrance. Have also read how well deer netting works; you need to sort of bunch it up around the coop. Molts can last a few months; like everything else, it varies.