they are only two years old, they're eating and acting fine and they layed fine through last winter and it rally hasn't got cold yet i dont know why, They already molted i just dont get it i went from 11-12 eggs a day down to 1-2
really ? i never thought about that but i bet your right... The thing is i didnt afect them last year. could it be that since their older it affects them more?
My 2 year old hens are not laying well, either. I was just thinking yesterday that I should put a light in their coop, too. (The only one laying consistently is my Red Star. She is a trooper!)
I put a light on a timer in my coop - just a regular 40 watt bulb. It comes on at 5:30 a.m. and goes off at 7:30 - my egg production has picked up - from 3-4 eggs to 8-9.
Most hens will lay through their first year and many won't lay through their second year. You hens are pretty normal. They usually molt in early fall just as the days are getting shorter which pretty much stops the egg production. You can try adding light - I never do because I just think they need a break - but it's an option. They may not lay like it's spring but it should increase production somewhat.
I have 50 chickens, I was only getting 12 eggs per day, I put a light in the coop to come on at 3:30 -7:30. We also moved them into a warmer area, Within a week the egg production had doubled... maybe coinsidence.... I understand they need about 14-16 hours of light each day. I just used a 60 watt bulb.
