How early do you let your hens out to free range?

[redinator]

Is it true that the amount of sunlight determines the amount of egg laying per day per hen? I have 4 Rhode Island reds.

Stress factors:
Winter molting
Added a rooster for the first time.
Had chicken mites for the first time.

I only get one egg if I'm lucky from one dependable hen. I get a second egg every other 2 days or so.

So two are not laying.

Sprayed elector psp twice. Got rid of the rooster. Cleaned out their coop twice. Gave them chicken baths.

Let them out early at 5:30am today. Got two eggs already. Ok woo hoo. I want more.

What else do I do? They are about 2 years old.

Could the daily egg be from different hens? Maybe they're all laying on alternate days?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

That maybe too much for 4 hens. I was told mealworms are high in fat and should be used sparingly.

Two cups is an insane amount of mealworms per day for four chickens. I don’t feed two cups of mealworms to three times as many birds in a month. Maybe I’m stingy.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You have been feeding this same feed since 2017 you say .. to these same birds? That means your hens are like .... 8 years old. That's really OLD for laying birds! I rotate mine out at about 3 years. I think yours are just too old to lay many eggs.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

You have been feeding this same feed since 2017 you say .. to these same birds? That means your hens are like .... 8 years old. That's really OLD for laying birds! I rotate mine out at about 3 years. I think yours are just too old to lay many eggs.

that would be amazing! but I think OP said in the first post that the chickens in question are two years old.

 

[redinator]

Two cups is an insane amount of mealworms per day for four chickens. I don’t feed two cups of mealworms to three times as many birds in a month. Maybe I’m stingy.

Only time I feed mealworms is to get them to nibble and scratch in a different patch of grass. I call it directed landscaping, lol. The patch just outside the run is down to the dirt . . .the rest of the yard is green and lush. The little freeloaders bawk that the feeders empty, but won't move two feet over, lol.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

that would be amazing! but I think OP said in the first post that the chickens in question are two years old.

Hmm, missed that. I'll go back and read again, thanks!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hmm, missed that. I'll go back and read again, thanks!

Yup, found it. My bad.

 

[m3torres]

Could the daily egg be from different hens? Maybe they're all laying on alternate days?

Nope, it's the same hen. We have cameras.

 

[m3torres]

Only time I feed mealworms is to get them to nibble and scratch in a different patch of grass. I call it directed landscaping, lol. The patch just outside the run is down to the dirt . . .the rest of the yard is green and lush. The little freeloaders bawk that the feeders empty, but won't move two feet over, lol.

they are freeloaders and won't pay up their rent. They are lucky they are so cute and fluffy.

 

[m3torres]

Hmm, missed that. I'll go back and read again, thanks!

The funny thing is no one has shared any answers on sunlight really. So this is day two and I got two eggs in a row. That is a rarity. Been letting them out at 5:30am in Chicago and they go back to their coop by 7:50pm-8:15pm. Yesterday and today. I'll update if tomorrow is different.