I'm only getting about 3 eggs per day from 12 chickens

[sheeshshe]

3 of them are older and I don't really expect eggs from them.. they're 4 years old. the rest are almost 1 year old. 2 are welsummers and they haven't laid any eggs since october. WHY?? I can't figure that one out. but I'm beginning to think they're completely worthless and it is time to give them away or something. we;re spending all kinds of $ to feed chickens and we barely get any eggs, and we're always buying eggs at the store!

I had a light on all winter, but the light bulb blew a few weeks ago or the socket broke or something. should I be getting more than 3 eggs/day at this point? I am getting extremely frustrated about it. I usually get eggs from all of my easter eggers almost daily. they seem to be the only consistent ones!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

You say you lost your light--there's your answer for at least part of it (not the Welsummers). Chickens are extremely photo-sensitive. If you had lights on them all winter, then suddenly no light, egg production will drop dramatically. You probably sent them into a moult. In fact, that's one of the ways big layer barns moult all their birds at once, but all of a sudden dramatically cutting back on light.

Check your hens for pin feathers to help confirm the moult. Hens often go through a mini-moult in the spring normally, so you may have a double dose of moulting going on right now. I know that my hens are all going into their spring mini-moult and my egg production is lessened right now, too.

They should start to lay again as the days get longer. That's probably the answer for the Welsummers, too.

 

[sheeshshe]

They just got done moulting about 2 months ago. they molted december and january!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I'd check them for pin feathers again--although it's weird that they would moult in January.

When you supplement light, losing the light for even one day can throw off egg production.

 

[sheeshshe]

the thing was quirky. sometimes it would work and then other days I'd go out there and it wasn't working. I'm not sure why it is behaving that way. I had it going good for a while and no problems, until about a month ago it stopped again and I gave up. I figured spring was almost here and I'd just deal with it.

as for the molt in january,I thought it was weird too. but then I found other people's chickens in the area were doing the same! the temps were going up and down and up and down. it was weird.

 

[sheeshshe]

I dont' see any pin feathers, but I do see feathers all over the place. ugh. now I'm super aggrevated. I can't do another 'no eggs" for 2 months again! this is insane. I've been constantly buying eggs!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I'm sorry you're getting so frustrated!

I'm not buying eggs, but I'm having a hard time fulfilling orders because the weather is changing so much lately and it doesn't matter whether it swings from hot to cold or cold to hot, my chickens will lay poorly the next day. And my birds are starting their spring moult, too. I had a lady ask me last night to get her at least six dozen eggs today, or more if I had them. I just had to laugh. I have a standing order for 12 dozen every Friday and I'll be excited if I can fulfill that one this week. I'm down over a dozen eggs a day right now.

Are your Cinnamon Queens laying? That's a breed I'd expect to lay no matter what the light and/or weather was doing.

 

[sheeshshe]

The cinnimon queens are the 4 year old hens. I'm not sure if they're laying or not. When I go out there I always see the EE's in the box! LOL.

We go through a lot of eggs. I've been buying 4 dozen a week most weeks. and for us too, the weather has been up and down.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The cinnimon queens are the 4 year old hens. I'm not sure if they're laying or not. When I go out there I always see the EE's in the box! LOL.

We go through a lot of eggs. I've been buying 4 dozen a week most weeks. and for us too, the weather has been up and down.

Ok, that makes sense. I wouldnt' expect a four year old Cinnamon Queen to lay. That's a commercial hybrid that lays like crazy for two years, then slows down dramatically.

Sounds to me like you need to buy some young hens.

 

[sheeshshe]

but all the others are just 1 year old. they should be laying machines! 9 of them are 1 year old.