Nesting boxes

[momto35chicks]

We don't deworm. We've had 2 chickens with worms in 3 years. I check for mites once a month when I clean the coop.
I was concerned the smoke caused them problems.
We have mouse traps in our feed area and have taken care of any mice that were there. We have 5 acres just for the chickens duri g the day and when we close them up at night they can still access their secured yard of 20x30.
Our chickens seem to change which ate popular nesting boxes. Of late, they've been using more of the buckets than the boxes.

 

[momto35chicks]

I did read all the responses before writing this.
Are you asking if the nesting boxes might be why the chickens aren't laying? Everything else is background info???

In your profile box it says billings. Are you in/near Billings MT??? If so, perhaps the wild weather swings and prolonged bad air quality this year have had an impact on the birds. It is also possible that the flock dynamics changed when you integrated 43 new birds (as another member suggested) and this, along with the dog attack, is stressful. I'm not sure how much space birds the ages of yours need but bet that a more experienced chickeneer will chime in. My experience is with small groups who free range in addition to having enough coop/run area but still only use one of the 4 available nesting boxes. They like what they like.
Good luck getting it figured out. Do your kids have ideas about what is going on?

Yes, I gave all background to cover feeding, coop size, etc

 

[chickens really]

Trying to manage that many Birds has to be tough...Chickens on large scales like that take total bio-security practices and dedication ..Chickens carry disease ...They all do...It just depends what stresses bring out that disease...I know your trying but I think you took on an animal that can be a great loss in profits....best of luck....

 

[lcwmt]

Yes, I gave all background to cover feeding, coop size, etc

that's what I thought.
So, my understanding is that in small flocks we use 1 nesting box for every 4 birds, whether or not the birds agree.
In my personal experience, with free rangers who coop at night, sometimes the girls find "better places" than their boxes to lay their eggs. Sometimes the slightest variation in their routine will throw them off laying altogether.

My intuitive response to your initial query, is: assuming they are healthy and well nourished (it sounds like they are), give them time to calm down, re-establish their flock dynamic, adjust to the weather/light/air quality changes and all will be well. They are critters, not machines. Like us, they need to balance out every once in a while...
I am not a Vet, nor an animal behaviorist, nor a large flock keeper so my thoughts may have little validity.
good luck!

 

[momto35chicks]

I understand taking care of them. Although the kids rotate through taking care of them, I go out at least twice a day. I know them, I know when somethings up by looking at them. No vets care for chockems here so I've read alot of sick chickens, egg bound, worms, frostbite etc.
We are goiing to give them until Thanksgiving to come around.
As far as profit, last winter with our harsh cold and snow was our first year I didn't reimburse myself for their feed. My kids profit about $200-280 a month. I buy in bulk on sales, give them deer honest in the winter, fish, etc. I buy my bedding from the compost place in bulk. 6 months worth of bedding, less than $10.

 

[aart]

I think nesting boxes is the least of the issues.

I've adjusted the lighting for less daylight hours.

When and how much over what period of time did you 'adjust' the lighting?

I'm gonna guess that the addition of the pullets stressed the existing birds out.
Older birds (are they about 18 months old?) could have started molting as early as the 1st week of August. They also could have started laying in range area when the new birds came in.

We have a 10x12 and a 16x12 together area.

Is all this enclosed coop(sheltered from weather and preds)? Total populations is about 160, including the new pullets?

 

[HoopyFrood]

If you're supplementing daylight with artificial light to encourage winter laying then wouldn't it be normal for a hen to stop laying after 2-3 years? You say you have some that are four years old. We do not supplement lighting and I was assuming none of our birds (all dual-purpose heritage breeds as well) would stop laying after turning four or so. Time will tell...

And this would be the time of year (northern hemisphere) when molting is common, right?

 

[momto35chicks]

If you're supplementing daylight with artificial light to encourage winter laying then wouldn't it be normal for a hen to stop laying after 2-3 years? You say you have some that are four years old. We do not supplement lighting and I was assuming none of our birds (all dual-purpose heritage breeds as well) would lay after turning four or so. Time will tell...

And this would be the time of year (northern hemisphere) when molting is common, right?

They always slow down in the winter, especially those over 2 years, at least ours do. Ive never had such a large number molting st the same time.