Question about egg laying RIR.

[9farmgirl9]

Ok so i got RIR chicks in the winter of 2010. Well they molted this winter and got over their molt in late December, but they are still laying crappy. We have 21 hens, well + 2 red sex links but i got those yesterday. And yesterday one egg. ONE EGG!!!! We had been getting about 4-9. When before there molt and during 16-18. Whats wrong!!! I feed the egg laying pellet and grit, in the morning and in the evening. And they are free range, My guineas are laying better than they are- 8 eggs out of 9 and that guinea thats not laying was on a nest. So what is wrong?! Should i get rid of them and buy new hens? Or should i wait and see

 

[Happy Chooks]

Something has got to be getting your eggs. Either the chickens are eating them, hiding them somewhere, or a predator like a snake.

I have 16 hens (of all different breeds) that are of laying age, and I'm getting 10-13 eggs a day. And 7 of them are over 2 years old.

 

[9farmgirl9]

Can't be a preditor, my guineas are in with my chickens and when the guineas see a snake they eat it. And the yard is fenced in so no coons or skunks. And the chickens all they do is sit under the ceder trees and thats it, and there are no eggs under there.

 

[Happy Chooks]

How much feed are you giving them? They may not be getting enough food to lay, their bodies will go into starvation mode to stay alive.

 

[mons02035]

Do you ever hear them do the "song". My girls always start singing after they laid. I ask this because if you hear the singing than they are laying and more than likely eating them right after. I had issues with egg eaters in the begining but have since got it to stop. But, you really have to look hard to find the remnants of an eaten egg. I hope for your sake that it's just that they are underfed or something because breaking them of egg eating is a PITA.

Wait a minute, did you say that you were getting 16-18 eggs WHILE they were molting? Or did I miss read that? I though they didn't lay any when they molt?

 

[7L Farm]

Maybe the newbie's have them tripping out. Or maybe the newbie's are eating the eggs. I'd set up a feeder so they can eat 24/7 as well.Chickens like to eat all the time thats all they do.

 

[9farmgirl9]

They sing but they don't lay a egg, and yes in their molt they were laying good. They are not beig eatin tatss for sure, no sticky hay, no egg shells, And i'm out there almost 24/7 and only a couple go in. And i can't feed them 24/7 because hen the feed is there all they do is it there and eat it all day, When i first got them in a week we were going through over 300lbs of feed a week. and it can't be the new chickens because i got them in the evening after i already collected eggs or egg. I feed them half a 5 gal bucket in the morning and in the evening. And then after that they sit allll day and do nothing don't even try to forage! And when they accidenly break an eggs is the only time they eat them and they leave the shell anyway.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think you are underfeeding them. I'd increase their feed some and I bet you start getting eggs in a few weeks. The fact that they are not foraging tells me they are trying to conserve all their energy to stay alive.

 

[9farmgirl9]

Well im not going to give them more feed just feeding them that is over 100lbs of feed a week, and i am 15 and don't have a job. And just because my chickens are lazy doesn't mean i'm goig to feed them a ton. And some of them have never even layed an egg.

 

[cmom]

It could be a food problem. Maybe you should downsize your flock. I have feeders for my birds always full of feed. I have RIRs, RIWs and Isa Browns and pretty much get an egg a day from each one. They really should have food and water available for them at all times. Maybe you could get some jobs doing some chores for friends and neighbors to earn some extra money during the summer vacation. If you are going through 100 pounds of feed in a week for 23 birds and you only feed them in the mornings and evenings, something is wrong. I have over 100 chickens and go through about 200 to 250 lbs of feed a week. My birds also free range.