I know there are lots of posts on egg production, but may be someone has some ideas for our specific situation.
We started with 8 Black Australorps & 3 Buff Orpingtons (as day olds a little over a year ago) and were getting roughly 6 eggs/day.
About 6 weeks ago we added a banty and a Barred rock. A week after that we added 3 more bantys, 4 easter eggers, & 1 other that I am not sure of the breed (all are about 10-12 months old). Occasionally we have gotten as many as 9 eggs but usually still around 6 or so. The last few days we have gotten 3-5 a day. With 21 hens we thought we'd be getting at least a dozen a day.
We feed layer crumbles in 3 separate feeders, 3 separate water dishes, and they free range in our pasture during the day and come back to the coop at night. We know at least one had gone broody because after her being missing for about a week we found her on a nest of 14 eggs in the back of one of our animals shelter.
So questions...What do we need to do? Are they too crowded? Do we need to change feed? Do we need to clean the coop more often. Should we not let them free range as much? ARe they just still figuring out the pecking order? Are they all broody at once? Our friends love our chicken eggs and we enjoy our chickens & their eggs. W ejust need more! Help!
Thanks
Denyel
Fuzz & Fur (& Feathers) Farm
Fort Wayne, IN
We started with 8 Black Australorps & 3 Buff Orpingtons (as day olds a little over a year ago) and were getting roughly 6 eggs/day.
About 6 weeks ago we added a banty and a Barred rock. A week after that we added 3 more bantys, 4 easter eggers, & 1 other that I am not sure of the breed (all are about 10-12 months old). Occasionally we have gotten as many as 9 eggs but usually still around 6 or so. The last few days we have gotten 3-5 a day. With 21 hens we thought we'd be getting at least a dozen a day.
We feed layer crumbles in 3 separate feeders, 3 separate water dishes, and they free range in our pasture during the day and come back to the coop at night. We know at least one had gone broody because after her being missing for about a week we found her on a nest of 14 eggs in the back of one of our animals shelter.
So questions...What do we need to do? Are they too crowded? Do we need to change feed? Do we need to clean the coop more often. Should we not let them free range as much? ARe they just still figuring out the pecking order? Are they all broody at once? Our friends love our chicken eggs and we enjoy our chickens & their eggs. W ejust need more! Help!
Thanks
Denyel
Fuzz & Fur (& Feathers) Farm
Fort Wayne, IN
