Fewer eggs...?

[DebBils]

Hi, just looking for some advice. We have had laying hens for just over a year now, both white leghorns and ISA browns. Out of 55 hens I would average around 40+ eggs a day all last summer and even through the winter. Now suddenly, this last two weeks I'm lucky if I get 2 dozen eggs a day out of 55 birds. I haven't changed their feed or their environment. They are already done their moult.... I don't know what else it could be. Help??

 

[DebBils]

I should also mention we live in Alberta. It's been high 20's (Celsius) lately.

 

[A.M. Eggs]

Are they getting enough sunlight? Are they hiding in the coop or somewhere indoors to escape heat? How old are they? Do any of them seem to be acting weird? Are they stressed? Did you add any new members recently? Do you have enough space? There are many different reasons they could be behind on laying. Analyze everything!

 

[DebBils]

Are they getting enough sunlight? Are they hiding in the coop or somewhere indoors to escape heat? How old are they? Do any of them seem to be acting weird? Are they stressed? Did you add any new members recently? Do you have enough space? There are many different reasons they could be behind on laying. Analyze everything!

Thanks! I'm assuming they are getting enough light? They have a large run and seem to go back and forth from inside to outside throughout the day depending on the weather.
16 of my birds are now 2 years old. The rest are last years chicks so just over a year now. I don't believe there should be anything causing them stress...?? At least nothing that I'm aware of. They've been in their outside coop since it warmed up enough in early May. Even during their moult I was getting more eggs than this.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Check the feed.
Last May egg production dropped from 6-7 a week per hen down to 3-4.
I checked the feeder and the feed looked good, was not damp. I took a sniff and it had a strong smell.
I dumped out the feed and washed the feeder with soap and water and dried thoroughly.
I opened the feed bag and took a sniff and it also had a strong smell. Yep the feed had spoiled.
I went to the feed store to get some fresh feed. Refilled the feeder and two days later egg production was back to normal.
Moral of the story, make sure you buy the freshest feed and only enough to use up within a couple of months.
I also let the feeder get nearly empty monthly in damp or humid weather and clean thoroughly.
Feed stored outside with fluctuating temps and humidity will not last long. GC

 

[Hensndoes]

I don't know about you but it's hot enough here for my chickens to lay hard boiled eggs ready to eat

 

[DebBils]

Check the feed.
Last May egg production dropped from 6-7 a week per hen down to 3-4.
I checked the feeder and the feed looked good, was not damp. I took a sniff and it had a strong smell.
I dumped out the feed and washed the feeder with soap and water and dried thoroughly.
I opened the feed bag and took a sniff and it also had a strong smell. Yep the feed had spoiled.
I went to the feed store to get some fresh feed. Refilled the feeder and two days later egg production was back to normal.
Moral of the story, make sure you buy the freshest feed and only enough to use up within a couple of months.
I also let the feeder get nearly empty monthly in damp or humid weather and clean thoroughly.
Feed stored outside with fluctuating temps and humidity will not last long. GC

Thank you, Smart idea. I don’t see or smell a problem with the feed I have now but I picked up some new feed today and will do the switch and see.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I don't know about you but it's hot enough here for my chickens to lay hard boiled eggs ready to eat

Yeah, we're on the sixth day of mid 90s with heat indices of 105*.
Last evening after sunset, I went out to lockup the coop.
One of my hens was on the floor in a corner with her eyes closed.
I picked her up and she was listless.
I got their wading pan, and fill a jug with cold water.
I put her in the pan and slowly added water, about two inches deep.
She responded immediately, in five minutes she wanted out.
I put her back in the coop on the lower roost and she stayed, her sisters were on the upper roost.
This morning at 5am she was still on the roost. All came out to drink and eat.
She's the Alfa hen and my best layer, 6-7 a week.
This is the first time I had a heat emergency with my flock.
All my girls are 27 months old, got them as day old chicks. GC

 

[aart]

Yeah, we're on the sixth day of mid 90s with heat indices of 105*.
Last evening after sunset, I went out to lockup the coop.
One of my hens was on the floor in a corner with her eyes closed.
I picked her up and she was listless.
I got their wading pan, and fill a jug with cold water.
I put her in the pan and slowly added water, about two inches deep.
She responded immediately, in five minutes she wanted out.
I put her back in the coop on the lower roost and she stayed, her sisters were on the upper roost.
This morning at 5am she was still on the roost. All came out to drink and eat.
She's the Alfa hen and my best layer, 6-7 a week.
This is the first time I had a heat emergency with my flock.
All my girls are 27 months old, got them as day old chicks. GC

Good save, it's scary and can be hard to tell when to take drastic action.
It's been brutal here too, tho we got one day cooler for a break.
Have a deficit of shade on my setup, and no AC in my house(whine).

Been giving a dose of Sav-A-Chick electrolytes/vitamins about once a week, it really seems to help.

Also have started using 'tupperware' to make large(4x6x2) and huge(9x14x2) blocks of ice to set out in shallow pans to melt slowly for wading and sipping, they take most the day to melt.

 

[Hensndoes]

X2 on the electrolytes. Our coops and runs are in the shade but it's still too hot. I don't recall having this issue before. We've put electrolytes in fresh water everyday at noon and give them straight water at night. My man said when he came home the goats were looking lethargic so everyone's been getting electrolytes. Its amazing to see how quick they perk up after.

Nice idea on the ice block!