Egglaying went down why ??

[mynewbabies]

Our flock is laying a average of 24 eggs plus the past few weeks now we are only getting half , they are young only 6 mos old. Is this normal, we did have extreme hotter weather but they had a fan and plenty of water. Our hens have only been laying for about a month or so. They do free range and we give them no chemicals at all. Does there egg laying fluctuate. Oh yes we have white leghorns and red sex link hens.

 

[chooks4life]

Hotter weather, despite cooling measures you introduce, will often slow egg production. They are only young, too. Egg laying does fluctuate to a large degree and everything from stress, genetics, illness, injury, dietary lack or overdose, temperatures, parasites, etc can influence your quota of eggs. When I say 'genetics' I really mean the latest few generations of ancestors the hen is descended from because this often carries more influence than what the breed standard is, in my experience --- having said that, I am no fan of purebreds, and keep mongrels.

Anyway, best wishes.

 

[romualdas]

Forgot molting ,it's that time ,I think .

 

[bobbi-j]

Our egg production has dropped, too. I think it's just getting to be that time of year.

 

[urbanchickchick]

Ours has, too. This is our first year with chickens and I was wondering the same thing. We have 7 that are laying, and getting 2-3 eggs/day now as opposed to 5 a day before. Do they molt this early? We have lots of feathers in the pen...

 

[aggiemae]

Hens can have their first molt as early are 6 months. Some times is obvious (like a BALD hen in December!) other times you just notice fewer or no eggs and lots of feathers in the coop.

Hot weather does effect laying and so do the slowly shortening days.