not getting many eggs

[tater1982]

i have 11 14 month old hens ,yest got 2 eggs today 4 eggs ,light buff brahamas , i got more eggd in the middle of winter ,what could be going on ?

 

[nuthatched]

What's their diet? Do they free range? Are they molting?

 

[tater1982]

What's their diet? Do they free range? Are they molting?

egg layer feed from tsc ,think 18 % how do you know if they are molting ? there is quite a few feathers in there pen ,do they molt this time of year ? they free range during the day

 

[nuthatched]

egg layer feed from tsc ,think 18 % how do you know if they are molting ? there is quite a few feathers in there pen ,do they molt this time of year ? they free range during the day

It's likely they could have hidden nests, you'll want to look. They molt according to their body schedule.

 

[tater1982]

It's likely they could have hidden nests, you'll want to look. They molt according to their body schedule.

ok thank you

 

[aart]

Most likely laying in range area.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[Mrs. K]

Spend a morning with them, take a book and some coffee and wait. You will either hear the egg song from somewhere or a bird will disappear. Hidden nests can be tricky to find.

MRs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

what could be going on ?

The most common cause of them not laying when you think they should is the molt. With those feathers flying around molting jumps way up on my "possible reason" list. Since you were getting more eggs in the middle of the winter I'll assume you are in the northern hemisphere which means this is not the typical time of the year to molt. But many things other than the time of the year can cause a molt. With the information you gave I can eliminate some of them, but it is often tied to light. Did you perhaps provide lights this past winter and recently shut it off? Maybe it was a security light outside the coop? If something made the day seem shorter to them that can cause many to molt. Change can cause a molt too. Did something change in the pecking order like adding or removing a chicken? Did they change housing like a new or modified coop? Running out of water for a day or more could trigger a molt in some.

Probably the second most common cause is them hiding a nest. That happens a lot.

Something could be getting the eggs. Many potential egg eaters will leave sigs behind, broken egg shell or a wet spot. I don't know where you are in the world so I don't know what potential predators you have, but i North America the typical critters that take eggs without leaving evidence are snakes, canines, and humans. That is not a snake. A snake eats a few eggs and disappears for two or three days while they digest them, then they come back for more. What you have is too consistent to be a snake.

Most canines would be more interested in your chickens than the eggs but a dog can learn to eat eggs without bothering your hens. Does a dog have access?

A human doesn't have to be a stranger or a thief. Some people think this kind of stuff makes a practical joke.

So what can you do? Can you leave them locked in the coop or coop and run for two or three days. If you start to get eggs either they are hiding a nest or you locked out an egg eater. You can discretely mark an egg and leave it down there. If it disappears something is getting the eggs.

Typically I'd lean real strong toward a hidden nest but with all those feathers flying around I'd consider molting too.

 

[ChicFil- A]

Monday May 22
5/6
Tuesday May 23
5/6
The buff has been acting tired and sleepy and I am a little concerned, I’m watching for any other red flags.