Fermenting Food- Stopped laying!

[CatherinePeeps]

Maybe I missed this info. Are your birds free ranging all day? If no what are they eating the other 23+ hours after they eat their daily ration in 15 minutes?

They get kitchen veggie scraps in the morning with added BOSS or mealworms a few times a week. I plan to freerange a bit once I can be out to supervise or get a portable enclosure.
Thing is I was getting 20+ eggs a day last year. Same amount of feed just dry.
I have been working on adding things for them to do but is limited as the grass is just coming up.
Once the garden is going thru get helps of weeds and scraps of plants and blemished fruits n veggies. They also have the raised beds with getting over top to grow clover and grass in their large pen.
I was going to add a daily folder mat for them and I was thinking maybe a "flock block" until they can get out more. Or get more greens and scraps.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I wonder if the scraps combined with one only feeding per day is diluting their nutrition too much. This could be it considering the production drop and their age. Mature birds lay less, plus are larger bodied and need more food than pullets. I'll be interested to learn from others who have knowledge about this, I'm still learning.

 

[sevenfatcows]

Can I see that much a drop in production. I was getting 20 + a day out of about 25 hens till the fall of 2017. I added a few hens and now have about 30.

I think, in general terms, you can expect a reduction of one eggs per week out of an individual hen for each extra season. Some do worse, some better...

 

[lazy gardener]

I've heard that it's a 20% drop per season. And I actually expect that it is greater than that.

 

[CatherinePeeps]

I think, in general terms, you can expect a reduction of one eggs per week out of an individual hen for each extra season. Some do worse, some better...

Okay well currently I am getting 2-3 eggs a day out of 30 or so hens.
In February with limited light I was getting 5 a day. I switched the feed to the fermented. Same feed same protein same volume just fermented.
So I think I should still expect more than I am getting.
Just spoke to a friend who feeds the same feed fermented and is getting 2-3 dozen. So am picking her brain now

 

[Ruralhideaway]

I think you have a quantity issue.

 

[CatherinePeeps]

I just spoke to a friend feeding the same as me.
She is feeding 40 hens on less than I am and getting 2-3 dozen eggs a day!
So I am feeding enough....
She is like on the same street I am so same climate and daylight hours. Same feed fermented too!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Could something, birds squirrels etc be stealing lots? Does she keep dry food available free choice as well?

 

[CatherinePeeps]

Could something, birds squirrels etc be stealing lots? Does she keep dry food available free choice as well?

Only thing that could be stealing is the chickens themselves.
No she just goes the same feeding as me. Actually a little less.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

If you wanted to experiment I'd say try splitting it in half, feeding twice per day. Would be interesting to see if production changed. Stool sample to check for parasites couldn't hurt either.