Official BYC Poll: How Do You Optimize Your Hens' Egg-Laying Capabilities?

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes.
Once my pullets started to lay I was getting 16-18 eggs a day. Yesterday was 2 still warm from being laid. I put the lock back on and today's count is 13.
I have 22 old enough to lay so 2 is not acceptable.

That's terrible. Are there people so hungry they have to resort to this kind of thievery because they have nothing else to eat? Or are there people just this inconsiderate? Either way, it's a sorry state of affairs. I'm sorry this is happening to you.

 

[21hens-incharge]

That's terrible. Are there people so hungry they have to resort to this kind of thievery because they have nothing else to eat? Or are there people just this inconsiderate? Either way, it's a sorry state of affairs. I'm sorry this is happening to you.

Straight up it's selfish, inconsiderate people. Hungry people would ask.

It's not the first round of this stuff. In 2018 or 19 hubs kept saying things like "it is winter." " the birds are just old." I knew better. The proof was in the footprints in fresh snow going through the yard straight to the coop and back out. Locks went on that night. We went from zero to 5 out of 7 possible.

This weekend I will put up both game cams.

 

[Coopin Is a Habit]

Straight up it's selfish, inconsiderate people. Hungry people would ask.

It's not the first round of this stuff. In 2018 or 19 hubs kept saying things like "it is winter." " the birds are just old." I knew better. The proof was in the footprints in fresh snow going through the yard straight to the coop and back out. Locks went on that night. We went from zero to 5 out of 7 possible.

This weekend I will put up both game cams.

That's messed up people would do that. And those are really dumb criminals honestly. Very high risk for little reward. Trespass and possibly get shot for half a dozen eggs? I'll pass.

 

[Member 671655]

I let them be…

And in reality I am not overly concerned with egg production, these are first and foremost my pets. Eggs are just a side benefit, as long as they are happy and content that is all I am concerned with.

For real I get more than a dozen a day and that’s all we use really sometimes more to share too

 

[Dreamers Nook]

Nutrena Naturewise All Flock Pellets. I also use Purina Flock Raiser Crumbles.

I use the Flock Raiser, works great!

 

[Ponypoor]

Straight up it's selfish, inconsiderate people. Hungry people would ask.

It's not the first round of this stuff. In 2018 or 19 hubs kept saying things like "it is winter." " the birds are just old." I knew better. The proof was in the footprints in fresh snow going through the yard straight to the coop and back out. Locks went on that night. We went from zero to 5 out of 7 possible.

This weekend I will put up both game cams.

Do you have snow already there ? Colorado right?

How do you keep eggs from freezing there, I am in a northern climate also, and try to check and gather eggs multiple times a day. But that’s a hassle.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Do you have snow already there ? Colorado right?

How do you keep eggs from freezing there, I am in a northern climate also, and try to check and gather eggs multiple times a day. But that’s a hassle.

No snow at my elevation yet. Yes I am in Colorado.
The snow thief was in 2018 I think. Shoot it could have been 2017....

I gather as often as possible. I do lose many to freezing since I work outside the home. Hubs has retired so I am hoping to have better luck with him being able to check too.

 

[chicken-tender]

RonP has a thread (?) Under " Coop Construction etc) titled "How do you heat nest boxes?". A very good, clear article if you have power in your coop. He lists the parts he used with pictures. I have mine done as per his directions and it works well here in lower SW Michigan. Sorry, I canot figure out how to link articles from this cheap phone.

 

[Debbie292d]

Yes.
Once my pullets started to lay I was getting 16-18 eggs a day. Yesterday was 2 still warm from being laid. I put the lock back on and today's count is 13.
I have 22 old enough to lay so 2 is not acceptable.

Do you know who this person is? If not, I'd put a camera where they can't see it and get a good picture of them to give to the police.

 

[Debbie292d]

Do you have snow already there ? Colorado right?

How do you keep eggs from freezing there, I am in a northern climate also, and try to check and gather eggs multiple times a day. But that’s a hassle.

We're up in the frozen tundra and heat using a thin, oil-filled radiant heater on a shelf in the coop that on it's lowest setting keeps it from freezing in there. During that polar vortex, it wasn't keeping up and our water froze so had to turn it up a bit. Heating is mostly for our convenience so we generally don't have any issues all winter. We do not leave a light on either.