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You can add me to the mystified multitude. I've never had a slow down of this length or magnitude in any flock I've ever had.
I have older birds who have been consistent layers for the past few years and a younger flock that is almost 8 mo. old~breeds that should have sexually matured by now~and show all the signs of this maturity. I have been getting 3 eggs per day from a flock of 28 layers of mixed breeds....White Rock, Black Aussies, New Hamps, RIR, Barred Rock, Part. Rock, Speckled Sussex. I have been getting these same level of production since around the end of August~yes, molting and winter light aside, this is very abnormal for any flock that I raise.
I have been doing things the same for many years with the same good results, the flock appears very healthy and bright, no active molting in progress, no added stressors, same living conditions, same feed mix, same water, same husbandry methods as in the past. In the past I have had very good winter production~no added lighting~ and that production would even now be on the upswing. But it isn't.
I'm wondering if the spread of the use of GMO grains into the smaller farm communities has resulted in a difference in the feeds I buy. I have no other explanation for my flock's slow down of production. It does seem to be rather wide spread and abnormal in nature.
