Nesting boxes

[momto35chicks]

Ok. On an estimate we have about 160 chickens. We love them lots, and they are awesome.
After a year we expanded our coop. We have a 10x12 and a 16x12 together area. The smaller is wooden floor, the area dirt bottom.
Our nesting boxes were built too big, so we have 9 built and 21 buckets attached to a wall.
This late summer we were getting about 4 dozen eggs a day, then bam down to 20-30. We integrated 43 new chickens (16 weeks old] in July. None of our Easter eggers, aracanas are laying. We went from 2 dozen a week to Nothing for almost a month. I've adjusted the lighting for less daylight hours. I'm going to add in about 6 more nesting boxes but I don't get it. Our babies have been laying and prior to them starting we were getting 2-3 dozen a day so when the new,ones started laying i was thinking we would be up at 5-6 dozen a day. Any ideas suggestions?
This is a source of income for our kids and although they need to see nothi g is for sure, I do think we need to do something.
Thanks

 

[Molpet]

how old are the older ones? all my 1 to 3 yr olds are molting, just the pullets are laying.. also look for hidden nests

 

[chickens really]

Ok. On an estimate we have about 160 chickens. We love them lots, and they are awesome.
After a year we expanded our coop. We have a 10x12 and a 16x12 together area. The smaller is wooden floor, the area dirt bottom.
Our nesting boxes were built too big, so we have 9 built and 21 buckets attached to a wall.
This late summer we were getting about 4 dozen eggs a day, then bam down to 20-30. We integrated 43 new chickens (16 weeks old] in July. None of our Easter eggers, aracanas are laying. We went from 2 dozen a week to Nothing for almost a month. I've adjusted the lighting for less daylight hours. I'm going to add in about 6 more nesting boxes but I don't get it. Our babies have been laying and prior to them starting we were getting 2-3 dozen a day so when the new,ones started laying i was thinking we would be up at 5-6 dozen a day. Any ideas suggestions?
This is a source of income for our kids and although they need to see nothi g is for sure, I do think we need to do something.
Thanks

Hmmmm..You upset the flock dynamics and Wow that is a lot of Birds...Are you not experienced in Chickens?...What breed and what are they being fed?...Layers require total balanced nutrition in order to thrive and produce...No less than 18% feed...

 

[momto35chicks]

Obviously the new layers are 8-9 months. I'm not sure if our speckled Sussex young ones have even started laying but there are only 4 of them.
The age ranges from the young ones up to 4 years old. Some are molting. Those would be all my green/blue egg layers

 

[momto35chicks]

They eat about 1000 pounds of feed a month, layer pellet feed. They also get a morning and afternoon scoop of scratch/cracked corn. In the summer they get anout 150 pounds of produce: cantaloupe, pineapple, apples, pears, lettuce etc. In winter months we add deer meat we freeze for them.
We've had chickens almost 4 years now. The original coop started with the 30; in 2015 we built the bigger coop after getting 40 more. This summer was our biggest add of chickens as neighbors dogs got on our property and killed 10 so they paid to replace them.

 

[momto35chicks]

Our breeds: brown and white leghorns, white and yellow buffs, speckled Sussex, aracanas, Americanas, Rhode island reds, barred rocks, austrolops, 2 yellow buff roosters, one bantam rooster.

 

[IndianaGreg]

They eat about 1000 pounds of feed a month, layer pellet feed. They also get a morning and afternoon scoop of scratch/cracked corn. In the summer they get anout 150 pounds of produce: cantaloupe, pineapple, apples, pears, lettuce etc. In winter months we add deer meat we freeze for them.
We've had chickens almost 4 years now. The original coop started with the 30; in 2015 we built the bigger coop after getting 40 more. This summer was our biggest add of chickens as neighbors dogs got on our property and killed 10 so they paid to replace them.

Just curious but how did you decide on a price for the neighbors to pay to replace. Cost of chicks plus feed for age etc... Just asking.

 

[chickens really]

Your changing the balance in the feed by adding all that other extra food ...Those layers require 18% protein daily and water at all times....Just feed at 18% is required....

 

[momto35chicks]

Just curious but how did you decide on a price for the neighbors to pay to replace. Cost of chicks plus feed for age etc... Just asking.

I took chick feed price for 16 weeks. Loss of estimated egg production for 16 weeks, cost of heat lamps running for 2 months

 

[momto35chicks]

Your changing the balance in the feed by adding all that other extra food ...Those layers require 18% protein daily and water at all times....Just feed at 18% is required....

This is what we have always fed our chickens. It's not new to them. The veggies come to about a kind per chicken a month so I don't feel that is too much. We have 20 gallons,of water available to them daily.