Why am I getting 6 eggs from 18 hens?

[julnjake]

About a month ago I rescued 20 chickens, they were abandoned. I am uncertain of their ages. I believe 1/2 to 1/3 of the flock are either a year and half old or two and a half years old and I believe some of the flock to be about 5-6 months old. I do know my rooster has just started crowing and is probably young. From the get-go I was getting about 3 eggs a day. Now I'm up to 6. How many should I be getting a day from 18 hens?

There are about 6-8 RIR's, 6-8 Leghorns, 2 Comets?, and 5 EE's.

They have a 96 sq foot coop with 6 nesting boxes (I can post pics if it helps at all). They are eating about 5-6lbs of layer crumbles a day. They free range on 14 acres (they don't go that far but thats what's available) from about 10 a.m. until evening everyday. There are 2 roosters in the flock. Only one bird has molted since I got them.

Possibly they are still young? Or still stressed from the move?

I don't have any pics of everyone but here are some pics of them

This RIR I know is laying, this EE is not

This comet? is laying, her and the RIR above are giving me the only brown eggs I get (2/day) all my other eggs are white and smaller

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

1 a day from each... so 18 if all hens and all at laying age and if none are molting

 

[julnjake]

So any guesses at why I'm only getting 6/day when no one is molting? And I'm fairly certain they're all old enough.

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Maybe their just not in the mood?

 

[peepblessed]

Mine don't produce well in the heat. Could the older ones be 3 or 4 yrs.? They slow down a lot at that age.

 

[julnjake]

Bump for more thoughts

 

[Ole rooster]

I would ask how long have you had them and do you think they have had time "settled" in to the new surroundings?

 

[allpeepedout]

Maybe your youngsters are still too young and were further set back by the move to a new home. Posters here constantly complain somewhat unfairly it seems to me about pullets not yet laying at 6 months, even though that is just an average start age and many seem to start later.

Maybe your older ones, 1.5-2 years old, are now slowing down in anticipation of their first molt, as it's about the right time for that?
Maybe some are older than you were told. Like much older.

Maybe all have been set back by the trauma of the new home, heat, possible changes in social group?

Good luck.

 

[Impress]

Wait, are those girls free ranging without a fence? You may want to walk your property if they are, looks like you have a LOT of egg hiding places in the area of their coop! Before I had my coop finished and was without a fence, I thought they just weren't laying. UNTIL I went to put the lid on my sons sand table one day, which had been laying against the house, and found a clutch of 26!

 

[fshinggrl]

Quote:
I agree.. perhaps they are not laying the eggs in the nest.