My Leghorns are poor layers. Why??

[chickengeorgeto]

Regardless of the breed, any hen who lays naturally should produce one egg almost each and every day then begin setting. Failure to lay that often will result under natural conditions in a strain or breed of chickens that will soon become extinct because there will be insufficient eggs laid and incubated by the hens to replace expected and normal loses. That is the 500 pound gorilla that is hiding in the heritage chicken coop. Even my game hens who only laid about 75 eggs in a good year produced an egg a day while they were laying. That resulted in a 14 or 15 egg clutch in two weeks verses a 6 or 7 egg clutch for a hen laying ever other day.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

They could be older. An older chicken lays less eggs, but they are bigger.

Also do they get enough protein? Try giving mealworms or feeding the some turkey. I gave my hens some deli turkey .. cause I had too much .. I had 8 eggs the next day.

 

[Petra Pancake]

My Baladi hens actually are older, 1.5 years and 3 years (they are mother and daughter by the way). But they are the ones that presently lay about 3 eggs per week each. They have always have been like that, an egg every second day. The neighbor's hens are like that as well, so no complaint about them. Seems to be the norm for our local Baladi mutts. They lay for most of the year with a two months break in November and December. My older hen goes broody twice a year, early summer and early fall. The daughter so far never went broody. My Japanese Bantam hen on the other hand lays 2 eggs per week, usually 1 on Friday and one on Saturday, she likes a regular life it seems. Went broody once last August and raised a chick which is now a pretty pullet but hasn't started laying yet. Even last year when I had a bigger flock (and roosters), most would lay every other day. In my experience most chickens don't lay every day. Problem with the Leghorns is that they lay only once per week, less than even the Japanese Bantam. That really isn't normal. Those eggs are huge, though. Maybe I was sold two grannies there after all...
I'll try to up the protein.

 

[sourland]

I would guess that they are older hens. The 'debeaked' bird is indicative of commercial production - she may very well be a 'spent' production bird. (Older than 2 years)

 

[Petra Pancake]

Trying to upload pictures...
Hmpf, doesn't work from my phone. I'll try later from the computer.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

My Baladi hens actually are older, 1.5 years and 3 years (they are mother and daughter by the way). But they are the ones that presently lay about 3 eggs per week each. They have always have been like that, an egg every second day. The neighbor's hens are like that as well, so no complaint about them. Seems to be the norm for our local Baladi mutts. They lay for most of the year with a two months break in November and December. My older hen goes broody twice a year, early summer and early fall. The daughter so far never went broody. My Japanese Bantam hen on the other hand lays 2 eggs per week, usually 1 on Friday and one on Saturday, she likes a regular life it seems. Went broody once last August and raised a chick which is now a pretty pullet but hasn't started laying yet. Even last year when I had a bigger flock (and roosters), most would lay every other day. In my experience most chickens don't lay every day. Problem with the Leghorns is that they lay only once per week, less than even the Japanese Bantam. That really isn't normal. Those eggs are huge, though. Maybe I was sold two grannies there after all...
I'll try to up the protein.

The protein can't hurt.. I know you can judge hens off there legs and feathers. Older birds feathers are more faded and appear unkept like uncombed morning hair. Legs on older birds have thicker, rougher looking scales on feet and younger birds have smoother more slender appearing feet/legs. Color from what I read can differ depending on breed. I have not owned a leghorn since I was a kid with my parents so I really can't say specifics on them with age..

 

[Petra Pancake]

Okay, here are the photos, fresh from today. I apologize for the low quality, it was getting dark already again, they were on their roost, there is no room for me and I was balancing a flashlight in my hand. Plus, my phone camera isn't good.

They look a bit unkempt and muddy because we had heavy rain until yesterday and their run is a mud swamp. Even the coop floor is muddy. The de-beaked one has trouble cleaning and preening her feathers properly because of the beak.

So, do they look like old ladies?

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

In the first picture the hen in front looks a little more rugged.. not cause the mud or anything, but her comb appears to not be as bright as the hen in the back. Combs that are faded, scratchy or have scars even (from fights) can mean an older bird. Depending on breed, chickens lay until they are about 4 or 5 years old with less and less eggs each year. I'm not a pro with leghorns like I said I'm just judging her comb.. feet are harder to see, but also appear to have thicker scales.