Need advice....

[jobows]

I have Cinnamon Queens that were born March 2011. They were WONDERFUL layers, but I believe their days are coming to an end because their production has decreased dramatically. There were days I would get 9 eggs out of my 6 chickens! Now, I get about 2 eggs a day (out of 5 chickens) and I live in the midwest (still wintering). I don't want to have a 6 month gap without eggs, so I was thinking of retiring these ladies. I was originally planning on getting 4 chicks and raising them and then taking my older ladies to the farm at the end of summer.

I just don't want to boot my ladies for new ladies! Trying to decide if my ladies are done laying or will give me another year and if I should get a new "flock"? This last year was sporadic.

Advice? Ideas?

 

[Judy]

Spmepone just posted the other day she has 7 year old chickens that are still laying. My flock is 2 to 4 years, 9 hens, and we're getting 4 to 6 eggs a day right now.

Evidently you had at least one hen who laid more than one egg a day, which indicates a problem as this should not happen. The hen or hens that were doing that could very well not be laying any more due to internal problems.

Even where I live, as mild as our winters are, I expect our egg production to increase as spring and summer arrive. But in the end, it's guesswork how many they will lay this season or year.

 

[Triple Willow]

I have Cinnamon Queens that were born March 2011.  They were WONDERFUL layers, but I believe their days are coming to an end because their production has decreased dramatically.  There were days I would get 9 eggs out of my 6 chickens!  Now, I get about 2 eggs a day (out of 5 chickens) and I live in the midwest (still wintering).  I don't want to have a 6 month gap without eggs, so I was thinking of retiring these ladies.  I was originally planning on getting 4 chicks and raising them and then taking my older ladies to the farm at the end of summer.   


I just don't want to boot my ladies for new ladies!  Trying to decide if my ladies are done laying or will give me another year and if I should get a new "flock"?  This last year was sporadic.  


Advice?  Ideas?  

If you get the "production" type birds like your Cinnamon Queens or Black Stars, Red Stars, ISA Browns, etc. they won't lay much past 2 years. If you get a breed such as Black Australorp, White Rock, New Hampshire Red - they will usually lay longer if they are kept in good health. You get lots of eggs with the production birds but they give out too soon. You could give them a couple months and see.

 

[jobows]

I will give them a few months. I found a thread that did say they had chickens that layed for a while. I didn't realize my chickens were *producers-- I will check into the other "brands" when I look for more! We don't need many eggs and these girls are entertaining and so sweet. <sigh> There is always next year!

 

[Triple Willow]

I will give them a few months. I found a thread that did say they had chickens that layed for a while. I didn't realize my chickens were *producers-- I will check into the other "brands" when I look for more! We don't need many eggs and these girls are entertaining and so sweet. There is always next year!

Yeah that's the problem, you get attached but the egg supply runs out too fast. Then what to do??? All you're left with is pets but no eggs. You don't really want to get rid of them (can't even think about killing/eating them!) but you want more layers but no room for them because you're stuck with "the pets". I like some of mine more than the others but I haven't made "pets" out of any of them for this reason.