rooster, offspring and laying eggs

[anniemary]

Our hens hatched 17 new chicks this year. We were going to cull these new chickens and fill our freezer. They are now about 20 weeks old.

Our egg production has dropped considerably. We went from 12-18 a day from our 19 hens to 6 or 7. Some factors I'm think might be affecting this:

1. We got three chinese geese a couple months ago who are now grown up and obnoxious and mean. They peck at the chickens when I throw food out for them. They could be causing stress.
2. Perhaps the pecking order has changed and causing problems now that the 20 week chickens are living among the older chickens. (They been together for about 2 or 3 months now, tho)
3. The days are getting a little shorter and cooler.

In any case, I thought maybe we should cull the older chickens and start relying on the younger chickens for eggs. My husband thinks it's gross to have their "daddies" fertilize their eggs which we would be eating. We love our roos and have no intention of eating them.

Questions:
Any thoughts about how to get my chickens laying again?
Would it be gross to eat fertilized eggs so closely related? We don't mind eating fertilized eggs, but daddy/daughter??

Thanks!!

 

[anniemary]

PS..

Maybe I'm not feeding them enough. I heard this could be a cause in egg production drop.

They free range from 1pm till dark across 2-3 acres. I'm hoping they are done laying in the coop by then and not laying in the yard I haven't found any in the yard.

They get a 2-3 gallon pail full of feed late afternoon/early evening, plus a couple coffee cans thrown out during the day. This is for 38 chickens and 3 geese.

Maybe it's not enough???