New chickens, a few questions

[ssramage]

Several weeks ago we got back into the chicken game by "inheriting" the whole set up from a guy getting out of chickens totally. This included 8 laying hens that he felt like were around 2 years old.

I'm not sure what to expect really, but we're getting MAYBE 1-2 eggs per day out of the 8 chickens. Is that normal or does it seem low? Is it age causing the low production or something else?

Next question, if this is age causing the low production, I'm probably going to consider trading up for younger, more fertile chickens... the last time I had chickens, I purchased 4-6 month old birds that were near laying age and would probably do the same this time. What's the best way to incorporate all of the birds together? I think I'd probably swap 4 at a time so that I continue getting some eggs in the short term, and then swap the other 4 when the new ones start laying. Is that the best way to handle?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

This time of year hens older than a year will stop producing in order to molt and rebuild their reserves, so I would expect all to eventually stop by December. Since you are down south perhaps later, I'm not sure. So I think for the time of year and age of hens it sounds normal to me.

What breeds? Some are more productive than others.

 

[Ridgerunner]

we're getting MAYBE 1-2 eggs per day out of the 8 chickens. Is that normal or does it seem low? Is it age causing the low production or something else?

You are in Georgia, which is north of the equator. The probable reason is that they are molting. When they molt they stop laying and use the nutrition that was going into making eggs to grow feathers. After the molt is finished they should come back laying like gangbusters. That could be later this winter or next spring. If they are just two years old they should have one or two more good laying seasons in them.

Another possible reason is that they don't like change. It's not that unusual for them to stop laying for a while when something changes. After a couple of weeks they can start again. But I'd bet on the molt.

I think I'd probably swap 4 at a time so that I continue getting some eggs in the short term, and then swap the other 4 when the new ones start laying. Is that the best way to handle?

That's basically what I do.

 

[ssramage]

Ok so molting may be what’s going on. I’ve noticed recently that there’s a lot of feathers in the run. I assumed it was territorial but molting makes since with the quantity.