Less Eggs

[Rosie.]

lately the eight girls have been laying four-five eggs a day,
i know one doesn't lay, but all the rest have
yesterday they only laid three eggs and today only two!
last week, as it was cold i put them in the polytunnel each day
they had a wail of a time!
but as soon as i took them back to there normal run they have stopped laying so well, coinsidence?
they all seem well
any idea's?

[Sue]

Rosie
It's probably the winter weather - draws on - you know!
Mine have tailed off too, one every other day if I'm lucky. Your loving care and attention should be fully rewarded come spring.
best wishes
Sue

[lynda66]

most chickens lay less over winter, mine will be going in my poly tunnel to start off with too, gotta be nicer than all this nasty weather, and mine is still full of cabbage and broccoli that i've left in for them

[MaureenHall]

Mine have gone down to 3 or 4 a day too. I think it's more to do with the shorter daylight length than the cold weather though

[Rosie.]

hmm i hope you all are right
thank you for your opinions
i think i will have to go and buy some vaseline tomorrow for there combs,

[Snadger]

My eggs are still a reasonable five to eight a day, which because of the lack of daylight and other factors such as having to move the nestboxes and build extra perches for the newbies is quite reasonable I think!

The eggs don't come easy though as I have to search for them. One was on the workbench in the chook house, five were in one nestbox that I've just recently built for them (they sem to like it!) and one was in the broody hut which I have in the run and leave open in case it rains!

Seven clean eggs today............but I'll soon need a torch to find them!

[Johnny Appleseed]

They do slow down egg production as their effort goes into extra feathers and building up their strength at this time of year ready for winter.
Their body clocks control it. Keep them well fed and watered and their laying rate will go back up - but the rate of egg production does decrease year on year.
I ended up keeping my oldest girls because they were great fun - and the eggs, when their Royal Highnesses decreed to lay at all, were a bonus

[kirsty b]

Mine have decreased laying lately too. 5-6 a day instead of the 12-13 I had been getting over the summer. Keep having to explain to peeps at work why I don't have as many surplus eggs at the moment!

[di]

OOoops!Sorry!!I feel really insensitive now re my new thread!!

[MaureenHall]

I know for definite today that 1 of the Black Stars (Marigold or Honeysuckle) has laid an egg. When I opened the coop this morning, there it was just by the pop-hole Tiny weeny dark brown and perfect Just worked out that they're 22-23 weeks old so that's about right. So I think that's 2 now from the little ones (who are all bigger than the big ones!)

[dozey1]

Hi, i must admit i must be lucky too Andi & Di as my ex -bats are laying well, i wonder if it the porridge and bits i give them just before bedtime. They laid a 3ounce on Monday.:-( poor hen. Keepthe faith everybody i am sure the girls will reward you well....

[The Invalid]

As daylight hours decline they will slow down and sometimes even stop laying eggs. They will also slow down and stop when they moult as mine are doing now.
Battery hens are kept laying by switching on lights for 12 hours or more a day.

[Rosie.]

Well I picked up two this morning before i went out came back about ten mins ago and found enother 3!
seems it was just a slip!
mine are ex-batts and i've had them for a month yesterday,
they've always layed in there nestboxes,
have you guys tried china or rubber eggs,
i found some in my grandad's nissan/general odds and sods shed from when he used to keep hens "back in the day"
it seems to work.
thank you all for your help!

[Snadger]

Well I picked up two this morning before i went out came back about ten mins ago and found enother 3!
seems it was just a slip!
mine are ex-batts and i've had them for a month yesterday,
they've always layed in there nestboxes,
have you guys tried china or rubber eggs,
i found some in my grandad's nissan/general odds and sods shed from when he used to keep hens "back in the day"
it seems to work.
thank you all for your help!

I've tried the china eggs but the soldiers keep bouncing offf them!

[BrideXIII]

My dad used to keep the china egss, for the broody ones, to keep them going until he had enough eggs for hatching.