Why I'm getting almost no eggs

[rascal66]

Sorry to go slightly off topic but speaking of Brahmas, here is my newest Brahma roo and a pic of a light Brahma Australorp cross that I hatched earlier this year

 

[featheredplanets]

Sorry to go slightly off topic but speaking of Brahmas, here is my newest Brahma roo and a pic of a light Brahma Australorp cross that I hatched earlier this year
View attachment 1912200 View attachment 1912201

That boy is gorgeous. Are your Brahma the ones still laying?

 

[rascal66]

That boy is gorgeous. Are your Brahma the ones still laying?

Thank you! He is only about 7 months I think. We got him not too long ago since my light Brahma passed away.
And no actually they are going through very heavy molts right now, unfortunately

 

[Shadrach]

A couple of points.
There is no biological connection between egg laying and moulting. The reason your hens are laying fewer eggs is the reduction in light. As I understand it it's not just the length of the daylight hours but the change in light intensity for want of a better description.
If having winter layers is important to you then the way to achieve this is to have pullets hatch in spring or early summer. They will lay throughout the winter more often than not.
Heat lamps are both dangerous and unnecessary. If you need to supply heat for chicks for example then a heat pad is a far better option. The best option of course is to have a broody hen take care of the chicks.

 

[rascal66]

A couple of points.
There is no biological connection between egg laying and moulting. The reason your hens are laying fewer eggs is the reduction in light. As I understand it it's not just the length of the daylight hours but the change in light intensity for want of a better description.
If having winter layers is important to you then the way to achieve this is to have pullets hatch in spring or early summer. They will lay throughout the winter more often than not.
Heat lamps are both dangerous and unnecessary. If you need to supply heat for chicks for example then a heat pad is a far better option. The best option of course is to have a broody hen take care of the chicks.

I thought I read somewhere that when a hen molts, a lot of their energy and nutrition is focused on regrowing all the feathers? Thus meaning they stop laying for a while?

 

[aart]

My husband suggested I look around to make sure they didn't find a new little nesting spot somewhere. I've yet to find one but I'll try to peek again everynow and then. They can be sneaky for sure, though!

Yeah, but you may never find it, so.....
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

The reason your hens are laying fewer eggs is the reduction in light. As I understand it it's not just the length of the daylight hours but the change in light intensity for want of a better description.

Ditto Dat^^^...I am feeling the affect of lower angle to the sun. They feel it before we do.

Can definitely remove the heat lamp, it was usually on a timer,

Just put a different bulb in there, 60W white light. Enough for you to read a newspaper at roost level. With 65 birds you may need more than one light. Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

To make the scenario clear, I have about 65 hens with 2 active roosters (however they seemed to recently stop mating as much, if at all?)
Of these hens, I have less than 20 that are young and are almost at laying age. There are at least 7 that are mature and currently molting heavily, so I know I have at least 30 that won't give me eggs as of this moment. But what about the others that seem fine?

Still not really clear.
65 females total?
Part of the 70 you rescued in June?
List numbers of birds in age groups(age in weeks or months).

Curious, where are you keeping all these birds....you must have a huge coop?

 

[Shadrach]

I thought I read somewhere that when a hen molts, a lot of their energy and nutrition is focused on regrowing all the feathers? Thus meaning they stop laying for a while?

It's an old farmers tale basically. It's a bit like statistically proving blue flashing lights cause accidents.
Chickens can and do moult at various times during the year. It just so happens that moulting occurs commonly at the same instance that egg laying decreases.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Aside from the heat lamp I do have a small led lamp in there for lighting. Can definitely remove the heat lamp, it was usually on a timer, I can't disagree on the fire hazard there.

I suppose patience is my best bet. Last year with some timed lighting, I still had many winter eggs!

I only mentioned the heat lamp since I don't think there's really anywhere in WA state that gets cold enough to require one.

I don't supplement lighting so not surprisingly, have never gotten eggs in winter, due to how short daylight hours are during a typical winter's day up here.

 

[rascal66]

Yeah, but you may never find it, so.....
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.


Ditto Dat^^^...I am feeling the affect of lower angle to the sun. They feel it before we do.


Just put a different bulb in there, 60W white light. Enough for you to read a newspaper at roost level. With 65 birds you may need more than one light. Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.


Still not really clear.
65 females total?
Part of the 70 you rescued in June?
List numbers of birds in age groups(age in weeks or months).

Curious, where are you keeping all these birds....you must have a huge coop?

Yikes, so sorry ive taken so long to reply!

I do have some fake eggs there for the girls. As of today, egg production is picking up again slowly getting more and more again. Currently average at about 20 eggs right now. I did add an extra light. Not entirely sure if that's what helped or if there was anything else. But I'm happy I'm not scratching my head at this anymore (for now anyways!)

Still never found any stray nests or eggs, but now that the eggs are showing up where they should, I think I feel safe not worrying about that possibility. I definitely consider the advice if I ever suspect or see this happen.

So sorry about the numbers! I had more hens before this time, but I've been butchering and selling a few here and there, so my current number Is more closer to 65 total hens. (I wouldnt feel good about using the term rescue after putting some in the freezer!) I need to go get my notes on the exact age and numbers for that.. Probably have about 20 that are under 6 months old.

My coop is not 'huge', but enough room for them all to roost and get cozy in their spots for the evening. Still have young ones that prefer sleeping on the floor cuddled up. Eventually when we move soon, we definitely have plans for a lager coop!

I appreciate the advice and tips