Hens stopped laying

[shadygardener]

We have more than 12 hens that had been laying. We were getting at least a dozen eggs per day, but now we are lucky to get 2. It occurred to me this morning that my husband has not bought egg layer pellets for awhile now. They've been eating scratch feed and cracked corn only. 3 hens are free range during the day, but all the others are in a coop with access to a coop with nesting boxes and straw. I have searched the whole place for eggs and found only 1 yesterday. Could this be because they have not had egg layer feed in a couple of months? ( I bought them some just now, but wondered if the lack of egg layer feed caused them to stop laying.)

 

[Peplers chicks]

No, they will start to lay again, that is if you are in a summer or spring season, if you are in fall or winter they might be slow. But definitely they will pick up production

 

[sumi]

A hen fed only scratch feed and cracked corn can't lay eggs, or at least not regularly. It's simply not nutritious enough. Scratch and cracked corn should only be fed as an extra or a treat, never as a main food source, unless you add extras such as greens, high protein snacks etc, etc. Formulated feed, preferably layer, is the best food for active layers though.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-behaviours-and-egg-laying-why-are-my-hens-not-laying

 

[Peplers chicks]

No, they will start to lay again, that is if you are in a summer or spring season, if you are in fall or winter they might be slow. But definitely they will pick up production

Lol, Yes I forgot to add, after now you gave them feed again

 

[shadygardener]

Thank you so much! You confirmed my suspicions. I will give them the egg layer pellets exclusively for awhile before letting them snack on the corn again. Also, my husband has been feeding them lots of crackers and mess like that.

 

[shadygardener]

And the cooped ones can't even get out and eat any bugs! So hopefully they will start back laying soon.

 

[sumi]

That would help, yes! Tell hubby if he wants to give them treats to stick to healthy things like spinach leaves or mealworms. My chickens love spinach so much, I have a bed of the stuff planted just for them

Also watch out for snacks and processed foods that may have a high sugar/salt content. That could cause harm if fed too often or in large amounts. Hope you get some more eggs soon!

 

[shadygardener]

I told him this, about the sugar and salt. Not good for anybody, including chickens and dogs. I'll tell him you said it, and maybe he'll listen! Thanks!

 

[DelBlueHen]

My ladies love kale. They'll rip it right out of my hands!

 

[shadygardener]

Yes, we were giving them lots of spinach & kale. They absolutely loved it. But the source of that ran out. I'm planting some this week, so hopefully the free range chickens will leave it to grow enough that we and the cooped up chickens can have some.