Two Broody hens & fewer eggs from the whole flock. Why?

[fairfeatherfriend]

I have 12 hens - with about 8 good layers among them. We were getting about 4-6 eggs daily, but two of the hens went broody. (I remove them from the main coop and chicken yard during the day, but they continue to "nest" and brood when I let them return to the coop with the others at nightfall.) For some reason, we are now only getting one or two eggs each day. And this has gone on for more than a week. Any idea why? We have plenty of light this time of year, living in the northwest. But we got more eggs in spring before the high point of daylight savings time. I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks everyone!

FairFeatherFriend
Bothell, WA

 

[Brahma Mamma]

We had two hens go broody (now we have 5 adorable chicks!) and didn't separate them from the flock. What happened, though, is the broody hens proceded to bogart all the eggs from the other layers. We won' t make that mistake again! Now that all the broody's are done, our egg production is way low. We think that it is just a time of rebuilding that the hens are doing after a heavy spring laying. Our house hens are Light Brahmas and Easter Eggers. That might not help much but that's my experience...

 

[Catstar68]

Quote:

that image of the broodies 'bogarting all the eggs'. too funny

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I have one broody out of 10 hens, but I am down from 8 eggs a day to 5-ish since she started. She still only has her 5 eggs, and everone else has stopped laying in the upper boxes (where she is) entirely and instead lay in the lower boxes. I looked all over for hidden eggs, But it seems they are just laying less.
I am sorry I am no help, except to tell you you are not alone.

 

[fairfeatherfriend]

Thanks, everyone. Believe it or not, it's helpful to know that I'm not alone!
Happy summer!!

FairFeatherFriend

 

[pgpoultry]

A broody hen will certainly steal any eggs and call them her own.........whatever the size, colour, or even shape! Of course, broody hens do not lay.

The other problem is that, when you have a number of female animals or birds together, their hormonal cycles tend to co-ordinate. As many of us have found once one hen goes broody, several others follow suit.....so it is all hens broody or all hens laying at times. Even those who do not go out- and-out broody often have disturbed hormone patterns and do not lay for a while.

So lots of chicks or none at all, or lots of eggs or none at all? Often no half measures with our feathered friends.

Sandie

 

[bywaterdog]

All of the above, and how are the temps? Chickens lay a lot less in the heat of summer.