egg production way down!

[TeriS]

I am only getting an egg every few days- I have added light so that they have light for 14 hours a day- why have they slowed so much?

 

[cravenchx]

It's still artificial light.
I'd say let nature work

 

[1muttsfan]

it can take a couple of weeks for increased amount of light to work

 

[cmom]

I have 7 watt night lights on in my coops 24/7. It seems to help.

 

[TeriS]

I'm also seeing a lot of feathers on the coop floor- although no one has bare patches on them- could they be molting and that could be reducing egg production? Guess I'm not too sure what molting looks like either.....

 

[QualityPolish]

Hmm... well possibly molting. Usually you would notice some baldness but not positive.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Are they over a year old? Are they "spring chickens"? The expression, "she's not a spring chicken anymore" meaning, someone has gotten older, comes from the fact that while a first year pullet will generally lay very well right through their first winter, at their second autumn, they go into moult, take a couple months off from laying and re-boot, if you will.

 

[Fierlin1182]

My chickens pretty much ground to a laying halt at the age of two years. If they're old they could be slowing down. Either that, or winter/molting is just getting to them. Wait till spring, they should be back up by then.

 

[roxyblue]

well thats good

thanks

 

[blackbelt]

For the most part egg production goes down some after the time change. Thats nature, however give the lights some time and you'll see an increase. I promise. Here on the website I set my light timer on week before the time change. I have some that will molt, but my egg production does not go down all that much. In the winter The homestead only keep about 40 birds, then in Feb I order our chicks for the spring. Winter time is kinda kick-back time and plan for the spring. I do spend a little more time on our home business, maybe a couple hours a day usually in the evening.