Unreal amount of eggs

[EagleEyes]

I've been getting 4-6 eggs a day from my 7 hens, but the one thing that I noticed ever since they started laying is how hard/thick the shells are. I feed 18% layer feed and give them no additional shells.
Way different than store bought eggs, in terms of the shells.

 

[GAchickennewbie]

I've researched this and it does happen, although it isn't common. Since all your girls came from Strombergs, I'm guessing the bloodlines are high producers.

As stated above, calcium deficiency would be a concern or your girls could "burn out" quicker. Could you keep us posted as to their future laying? For "nature" reasons, I'm glad they slowed down. Personally, I would be panicked if my girls were giving me more than one day an egg each and would be very concerned about how it would affect their "egg-making equipment".

Glad to hear you keep them on excellent feed and make sure they get plenty of calcium.

Is the bone meal a source of protein or of calcium or both?

 

[Tutu of 5]

I have been wondering if your girls have slowed down much from your posts last April? I am new at this "chicken stuff" and am fascinated to read about these multiple eggs in one day layers. Mahalo for a reply! Hope all is going great!

 

[monteandcheri]

Tutu, the post was from January. Our winter here in SE Texas was very mild with lots of sun so chickens went wild laying. My 16 hens have slowed down to 12-18 eggs a day now so all is good.

 

[Tutu of 5]

Oh....I saw the April date on the last Post and didn't look back to the beginning of the thread...sorry. Glad to hear all is well. That was pretty awesome about all those eggs. I wonder if that would win a price in the Guiness book

 

[aart]

Oh....I saw the April date on the last Post and didn't look back to the beginning of the thread...sorry. Glad to hear all is well. That was pretty awesome about all those eggs. I wonder if that would win a price in the Guiness book

I'm guessing that the April date you mention is the join date under GAchickennewbie's avatar?

The post time/date is on the blue bar at the top of each post.
I get those mixed too sometimes.

 

[Tutu of 5]

Mahalo....I'll learn it all eventually with all of you wonderful teachers.

 

[Mauka]

We have 8 black sexlink hens, 8 barred rock hens and 1 barred rock roo. They are all almost 7 months old. Got our first egg at 5 months. Fed them 20% crumbles till we got the first egg then switched to 16% layer feed. All non medicated feed. They get scratch occasionally and bone meal and crushed egg shells for calcium. They free range 2-3 hours a day with an occasional full day out. The egg count has gradually risen from 1 egg to 27 yesterday! I was happy when we got 14 eggs one day then suprised when we hit 21 and now at 27 Im a little concerned. From what Ive read this is a little over normal. Ive got six nesting boxes and occasionally find some eggs on the coop floor and a couple of times found 1 under the roost.

My question...should I be concerned or thankful?
Thanks in advance.

This is incredible!! You guys are truly blessed!i get two eggs a day from 7 hens..to get that many from what you guys have...totally jealous. Keep up the good work and with production levels like that, make sure they get PLENTY of calcium.

 

[monteandcheri]

Ok, they are at it again! After slowing down to 12-16 eggs a day for a week or so I just gathered 38 eggs for a two day total. We have 16 hens so that means all hens laid 1 egg per day with 6 of them laying 3 eggs in 2 days. This is getting ridiculous. I delivered 10 dozen to the homeless shelter in town 2 days ago and have been supplying ourselves and 3 neighbors! I guess this is a blessing so I'll just count it as that! This picture does not prove anything but here it is anyway. I know half the folks on this board think we are crazy reporting these egg numbers but facts is facts!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'm guessing the majority of extra eggs are coming from the black sex links. I have two BSL's and one of them would give me two eggs every 24 hours several times a week when she began laying. This went on for several months. At about 1 1/2 yrs., she began having problems with that 2nd egg. She'd take on an odd posture, would quit pecking, scratching and would generally act ill. Several hours later I'd find an egg in the run instead of the nest. I thought for sure she was getting ready to be egg bound but she always managed to eventually lay that second egg that seemed to be causing her problems.

At this point she's almost 3 years old and hasn't laid an egg since last summer. She's become fat, didn't molt like the rest of the chickens, but is absolutely beautiful with lovely shiny feathers as she's not using her nutrition for anything else. She's mean as a snake, picks on the other chickens, and is destined to be the star in my son's birthday Chicken Pot Pie dinner. Her sister is still laying an egg daily but she never did the two egg a day thing.

I hope that your girls will not have any issues like my one girl did. I also have barred rocks and they're consistent layers but have never given me doubles. The sex links are bred for production and I think my one girl was an over-achiever early on but her bright candle has since burned out. For that reason, I'll not have sex links again. They have a reputation for heavy laying in the beginning but burning out early.