My 4 mature 18-month old hens are not laying consistently. Could it be the feed or heat?

[Flixflaxnoob]

This is only my second summer with my OG flock (buff orp, white rock, wyandotte, EE). When they first started laying, I was getting almost an egg from each of them a day. Since July, it's becoming more common for me to get just 1-2 eggs/day. I've checked my birds and to my untrained eye, they seem healthy otherwise and acting normally. There are three changes I think could be contributing to the drop in egg production.

1. My feed source switched around June, but my supplier said he hasn't had any other complaints from his other customers.
2. When I added two new birds to the flock in July, I was giving them all chick feed because I thought they still had a while before they started laying. The older hens actually preferred the chick feed over their layer feed. Oyster shells are always available to them. They were only given chick feed for 2 weeks before one of the younger hens started laying. I've since been giving them all 1 part chick feed to 3 parts layer feed to try to use up my chick feed and because I noticed a drop in egg production.
3. It's been hot here in SW PA, but the birds have shade. I also let them free range for a few hours every day.

My one younger hen has actually been laying almost every day this week. Is it just more common for hens to start slowing down after the first year?

What do you think is contributing most to the drop in egg production in my older hens? How long before I see any changes if I decide to switch feed?

 

[DLA]

This is only my second summer with my OG flock (buff orp, white rock, wyandotte, EE). When they first started laying, I was getting almost an egg from each of them a day. Since July, it's becoming more common for me to get just 1-2 eggs/day. I've checked my birds and to my untrained eye, they seem healthy otherwise and acting normally. There are three changes I think could be contributing to the drop in egg production.

1. My feed source switched around June, but my supplier said he hasn't had any other complaints from his other customers.
2. When I added two new birds to the flock in July, I was giving them all chick feed because I thought they still had a while before they started laying. The older hens actually preferred the chick feed over their layer feed. Oyster shells are always available to them. They were only given chick feed for 2 weeks before one of the younger hens started laying. I've since been giving them all 1 part chick feed to 3 parts layer feed to try to use up my chick feed and because I noticed a drop in egg production.
3. It's been hot here in SW PA, but the birds have shade. I also let them free range for a few hours every day.

My one younger hen has actually been laying almost every day this week. Is it just more common for hens to start slowing down after the first year?

What do you think is contributing most to the drop in egg production in my older hens? How long before I see any changes if I decide to switch feed?

My older (3 yo now) chickens sometimes drop off laying some when we get this hot weather and sometimes if they don't get enough outside run around time because of predators. I've had a persistent hawk that won't move on and she almost got one of my girls the other day even though I was close by. It's supposed to cool down some by the weekend so see if that makes a difference before changing feed.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Heat can make them slow down but also chickens don’t lay every day and that’s perfectly normal. Even your high production breeds don’t lay every day. Also it’s possible they are getting ready to molt. So nothing to be alarmed about either way in my opinion

 

[Pigeony]

My flock is low on the egg production right now for two reasons: it's been very hot and a good portion of them are gearing up to molt. Tis the season, I bet your birds are going through the same.

 

[MROO]

No need to panic! Most chickens slow down their egg-laying between 18 months and two years, which is why commercial producers cull at that age. The ridiculous heat wave we're experiencing (I'm just south of you) is likely triggering the slow-down, as well. Then you have the annual molt that hits roundabout now, so there are multiple factors to consider.
Don't let the "It's normal" mindset fool you, though. This heat and humidity makes for prime coccidiosis sneak-attacks. Make sure you gave Corid (amprolium) on hand so you're prepared if your girls start going lethargic and puffing up.
SO many factors to consider & monitor! Ain't chickeneering FUN? Yep!

 

[Flixflaxnoob]

Heat can make them slow down but also chickens don’t lay every day and that’s perfectly normal. Even your high production breeds don’t lay every day. Also it’s possible they are getting ready to molt. So nothing to be alarmed about either way in my opinion

It's just a noticeable difference from last year when I was consistently getting 4-5 eggs a day from 5 hens. Sounds like I just need more chickens.

 

[Pigeony]

It's just a noticeable difference from last year when I was consistently getting 4-5 eggs a day from 5 hens. Sounds like I just need more chickens.

It's good to have a mixed age group of chickens, so when molting time comes around they're not all on the same schedule and as the older birds slow down laying, you have younger birds to pick up the slack. And 5 birds as they continue to age probably will not meet your egg needs for long.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

It's just a noticeable difference from last year when I was consistently getting 4-5 eggs a day from 5 hens. Sounds like I just need more chickens.

As the old saying goes, they’re not spring chickens. They will slow down a bit and production will vary depending on all kinds of factors. It’s not as noticeable when they first start but older girls tend to take breaks. I have a 4 year old Australorp taking a break right now. I don’t know why but I’m not worried about it because I know she’s healthy. But this is exactly why people end up with more chickens lol. I used to do a little refresher batch of chicks every year to replace older girls the next spring.

 

[Flixflaxnoob]

It's good to have a mixed age group of chickens, so when molting time comes around they're not all on the same schedule and as the older birds slow down laying, you have younger birds to pick up the slack. And 5 birds as they continue to age probably will not meet your egg needs for long.

My plan is to eventually grow my flock to 12 (local maximum for my acreage). The hard part will be not getting them all at once to better stagger their ages.

 

[C Siena]

As others have written it might be a few things. Our first hens, began to molt when they were about 18 months, late Sept/mid Oct. This year I am prepared to up their protein mid Sept.

Our new and almost layers will not molt until Oct '26 and usually lay in the winter their first year. This is why I want some chicks each spring. Though coops are full, I will probably get 2-4 pullets next spring. It keeps the eggs coming.

Do you know the difference in the ingredients/protein% etc in the new feed?