What is going on!????!!!

[eventmerlin]

My 14 hens were laying 7 eggs a day up until last week. Now I am only getting 2 eggs a day. I haven't changed their feed except to give them more greens and some scraps from the kitchcen a bit more often. I've also been giving them BOSS mixed in with thier feed. They seem to be staying in thier coop more often (which does not have lights or windows). Do you think that would do it? It also has be especially cold up here (under 30 degrees consistently). I am seriously missing eggs. 2 eggs a day from 14 is NOT enough for even my family to eat

Does anyone have a miracle cure?????

 

[Tala]

If you mix the BOSS with the feed they will dig it out and waste the regular feed. Could it be that they are filling up on BOSS and not eating their layer feed??

Too many treats can reduce laying, but BOSS generally doesn't because it has about 16% protein, unless that's ALL they are eating.
I feed BOSS instead of "scratch"
I give 13 birds one large Ravioli can's worth on most days, widely scattered on the ground so everyone gets some.

 

[Slywoody]

They should have 14 hrs of light everyday. I installed a light with a 2 stage timer, ( about 20.00 ) and mine are back laying, big time, even with sub-zero temps. Windows are almost mandatory in a coop, hopefully on the south side for northeren climates.

 

[CTChickenMom]

Put a light in there. My chickies don't like to come out when its cold and spend most of their day in the coop. Having a coop with no lights or windows would definitely slow production considerably. They need the light to stimulate egg production.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Mine slowed down when it got REALLY cold, like 10 degrees outside. It went down to about 7 eggs from 11 hens. Up until then, it was production as usual with a light on 14 hours a day.

 

[briteday]

Besides additional light and warmth you might try a handful or so of kitten chow each day. I believe it may be the animal fat in kitten food (usually around 40% protein, read ingredients to be sure it has animal meat by-products vs. grains at the top of the list) that helps my chickens lay when it is really nasty weather here or they are stressed for any reason.