Very low egg production?!

[johndeerematt]

My flock of 25 hens have recently and successfully gone through their first molt. They have been done for the past 3 weeks or so, they are all fully feathered and pretty now! But, I've only been getting 1-3 eggs per day!! This summer I was getting 18+ eggs a day consistently. Why the still super low production rate?
The specifics
Round the clock to Purina layer pellets
Birds are 1.5 years old
All have been checked for mites and such
Coop is dry with a 16 by 16 run
No sickness or unusual behavior otherwise.
Supplemental light, which is on for 14 hours a day
Please enlighten me on what is happening!

 

[mtngirl35]

Molting and regrowing feathers is hard work for a hen. Give them a little more time. Their little bodies are probably just taking a much needed break. Give them plenty of protein.

 

[aart]

How long have you been supplementing the light?
It should be increased slowly to avoid stress and can take while to have an effect once up to the 14 hours.

Here's pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

Might want to up their protein to help replace the stores from growing feathers, layer feed is ususally minimum protein.

 

[johndeerematt]

Thanks for the tips guys! What would work for extra protein?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Thanks for the tips guys! What would work for extra protein?

A simple way to boost protein is to skip the layer ration and feed a grower feed (ie flock raiser) - layer rations tend to run around 16% protein, grower rations at 20%+ are an easy and perfectly safe way to increase the protein content of your flock's diet. Offer free choice oyster shell to provide the calcium needs of any birds who are actively laying and you're set.