Hens laying very few eggs

[savagesultin]

So being new to this and im sure this topic has been beaten to death but I recently just started with laying hens, i picked up some on june 22 the 9 mixed breed and june 26 picked up the red star. I have 10 2yr old red star and about 9 1 yr old delaware, buff ops, and an easter egger. total of 19 hens and one young rooster, my coop is 10x10 with a run about the same slightly larger. Im getting only 4-6 eggs a day, water and feed is available and 5 nest boxes. nest boxes are large to accommodate two hens each, I just installed a light last night on a timer to give them 14.5 hr of light. I know some are going through what appears to be a molting stage but only a couple. Anyone have suggestions because these hens are about to become meat birds if they dont start to produce eggs.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Two year old Red Stars may be approaching the end of the laying career, at least in the huge numbers they once laid. They aren't particularly built for the long haul.

They've been re-located, that always send birds into a stutter. You'll want to worm them and dust them for both internal and external parasites, feed them well and have fresh water. That's about it. The rest is up to their abilities. This is the first full week of summer and day light hours are as long as they will be all year. Somewhere around 15-17 hours of natural daylight.

Sadly, people often sell off hens after getting best couple of laying seasons out of them. Folks aren't always 100% open and honest about how old they really are or how their laying has slacked. (thus, the reason they are being sold off).

Not saying that happened to you, but it does happen. Buying older birds is always something a roll of the dice.

 

[savagesultin]

how many could i put in the coop before its considered crowded? its 10x10 with a outdoor run of 10x14

 

[Fred's Hens]

This depends upon the design of the coop. Laying nests, feeders, waterers all reduce the space available. Further, this all depends on how much time, winter and summer, that the birds are expected to be inside the coop. Merely to roost and sleep safely? A good number of birds could sleep in a 10x10. There is no formula, no rule of law or nature, despite of the guidelines posted so often here. Guidelines are merely some point to start, some place to consider and then observe, adjust and adapt. That's all guidelines are for.

If birds must spend days and days in the dead of winter's blasts inside a coop, then no coop is ever big enough. A 10x10 might be viable for a half dozen or more, well mannered, large birds under those harsh winter conditions.

Please do not take this wrong, but whenever folks ask "how many can cram into this coop?" I wince. It's really not the right question. Experience will show that crowding will produce a plethora of bad habits and bad conditions and management issues. Again, there is a huge difference in a sleeping/roosting coop and an all purpose coop.