I don't really care if the number of eggs here is "optimal". That only means my hens will be out of production forever, sooner. Mine get layer crumbles, cracked corn sometimes, vitamin enriched birdseed sometimes, oyster shell calcium free choice and they free range on nice days when I'm home. I put a light on a timer when I want and give them breaks. I don't think anyone here is essentially wrong. When your hens are healthy and happy and when you're fine with the eggs produced, then it's all okay. When you have hens that seem healthy and happy but you haven't been getting any eggs, something isn't quite right yet so there may be something missing like light hours or whatever. But we all live in different parts of the country and the soils are different too so there are different needs, some live in colder climates and some live in warm areas, damp? dry? some of us are out in the country and some live in a city that is good enough to allow hens. So many different situations so there are no perfect answers.
Short answer (oh sure, I can give a short answer......Not, lol), try one new thing at a time so you will know what worked. Changing too many things at once will just upset the hens and they're likely to rebel with no eggs too. Keeping a laid back atmosphere with few changes, finding the best foods for "your" hens and situation, plenty of fresh, clean water, lighting on a timer to give them the more daylight hours..routine, routine, routine......
Remember, that if you worm them with some wormers it will affect egg laying and it can be a month before they begin to lay routinely again. It is a good idea to consider giving them probiotics after worming to replace the good gut flora that was killed by the wormer, plus it helps them to digest the food they eat better so they're getting more out of it. Giving them a break from laying isn't a bad idea either, especially if you plan to hatch any chicks this spring. You can work on getting them to optimal health before resuming laying. I'm still hatching some Araucana and Serama's and we're still getting enough eggs from the Maran hens that we're eating. I'll probably worm them all after Jan 1st (so I can remember when I did it) and turn off the lights and stop hatching (some wormers will also affect fertility for a month). I'll give them each a thorough look over and trim beaks and nails if needed, treat to prevent mites, clean the coop and all that to make sure when they start up again, sometime in Feb that they're good to go. They're my hens, they feed us, they provide me with eggs and chicks to share with others. I always hope for an extra special chick that I might show and I enjoy their company. What they are not, to me, are egg laying machines. Not that production isn't important, it indicates things for them are optimal.
Cathy
(the windy one)
Short answer (oh sure, I can give a short answer......Not, lol), try one new thing at a time so you will know what worked. Changing too many things at once will just upset the hens and they're likely to rebel with no eggs too. Keeping a laid back atmosphere with few changes, finding the best foods for "your" hens and situation, plenty of fresh, clean water, lighting on a timer to give them the more daylight hours..routine, routine, routine......
Remember, that if you worm them with some wormers it will affect egg laying and it can be a month before they begin to lay routinely again. It is a good idea to consider giving them probiotics after worming to replace the good gut flora that was killed by the wormer, plus it helps them to digest the food they eat better so they're getting more out of it. Giving them a break from laying isn't a bad idea either, especially if you plan to hatch any chicks this spring. You can work on getting them to optimal health before resuming laying. I'm still hatching some Araucana and Serama's and we're still getting enough eggs from the Maran hens that we're eating. I'll probably worm them all after Jan 1st (so I can remember when I did it) and turn off the lights and stop hatching (some wormers will also affect fertility for a month). I'll give them each a thorough look over and trim beaks and nails if needed, treat to prevent mites, clean the coop and all that to make sure when they start up again, sometime in Feb that they're good to go. They're my hens, they feed us, they provide me with eggs and chicks to share with others. I always hope for an extra special chick that I might show and I enjoy their company. What they are not, to me, are egg laying machines. Not that production isn't important, it indicates things for them are optimal.
Cathy
(the windy one)
