I got FOUR eggs today, two yesterday and four the day before that. I've got five hens two of whom are at least two or three years old. Even the three+ year old hen is laying occasionally. She's a mutt EE mix, so her eggs are a totally different color than the other hens, who are all black sex-links.
Most of the fall & winter I'd been getting 0-2 eggs, then I tried the red pepper trick and it seems to have helped. I baked a pan of cornbread with about 1/4 cup of ground cayenne pepper thrown in. Probably will do it again in a few days. I bought a five-pound bag of self-rising cornmeal and the big Tone's container of cayenne from Sam's Club, just so I'd be prepared.
5/6 I need to figure out where Queenie is hiding her eggs!
I need some fake eggs I guess, because if I take away the eggs she finds a new spot more hidden than the last! Unfortunately she won't go truely broody for me (or hasn't yet)