egg production

[hawthorns]

my chickens egg laying has dropped off recently, has anyone else found the same

[Bramble-Poultry]

Any obvious signs such as moulting or red mites? They are always the first to check, birds always go off lay when moulting and mites will dent production.

but generally the weather has been a little crappy and its length and intensity of light that stimulate egg production so if its dreary eggs can slow down.

[hawthorns]

no moulting or mites.

[MaureenHall]

it's the weather then Unless they're getting lots of treats and are getting fat; fat hens don't lay. Maybe some sunshine soon?

[frias]

The ex-batts I got early last year have all but given up laying now. The new girls are still laying well though.

[Chocolate Brownie]

ours went off lay a while back a and they are starting to come back on after about two months

[Glutton4...]

Mine have slowed down drastically - from 23 Laydees I'm only getting a maximum of 10 eggs each day

[Chocolate Brownie]

we have 38 at the age of laying and we got 15 today and 12 yesterday

[hawthorns]

i may give then half rations of there treats. what r others giving there chickens for treats. i have 6 chickens and they get a handful of mixed corn each a day. they also get some kind of fruit or veg most days.

[RichmondHens]

If they've been laying well since the beginning of the year then it's time for a slow down/rest. They may not be showing signs of moulting yet, but will start to shed feathers within a month of stopping lay. Age and breed should be taken into consideration, but if you have a young hen who came into lay at the beginning of the year then she will probably start slowing up about now.

As others above have said, diet is a contributor, so cut out those treats - fat hens don't lay well. Two handfuls of corn once a day between 6 is plenty. A handful each is too much. A little fruit and veg is ok, but generally for 6 hens two or three human fistfuls is plenty. Seems mean to us, but hens are designed to forage for their food so a small amount here and there will suffice, and they will get that from their pellet ration.

[hawthorns]

If they've been laying well since the beginning of the year then it's time for a slow down/rest. They may not be showing signs of moulting yet, but will start to shed feathers within a month of stopping lay. Age and breed should be taken into consideration, but if you have a young hen who came into lay at the beginning of the year then she will probably start slowing up about now.

As others above have said, diet is a contributor, so cut out those treats - fat hens don't lay well. Two handfuls of corn once a day between 6 is plenty. A handful each is too much. A little fruit and veg is ok, but generally for 6 hens two or three human fistfuls is plenty. Seems mean to us, but hens are designed to forage for their food so a small amount here and there will suffice, and they will get that from their pellet ration.

thanks for the advice.

my hens are all under 12 months old. 2 are only about 22/23 weeks old and have not laid yet. the other 4 have all laid an egg a day until the last 4/6 weeks. i have had 1 broody but she is now off the nest. none of them has moulted yet so im guessing thats coming soon.

i will def reduce the corn treats tho.

[MaureenHall]

i may give then half rations of there treats. what r others giving there chickens for treats. i have 6 chickens and they get a handful of mixed corn each a day. they also get some kind of fruit or veg most days.

Sorry hawthorns, that's too much. I give 1 handful chucked into the straw in each of the runs, each run is for 11 birds. They have a cabbage hung up in each run so they have to jump up to get at it and that can last as long as 2 days (if I put it up high enough!), and once or twice a week I cut out the mixed corn and make a mash of layers pellets, garlic powder, poultry spice, limestone flour and a dash of cod liver oil all mixed up with warm water, that lasts them about 15 - 20 minutes! From 11 ex-batts I get about 6 eggs a day and 2 of the Bluebelles are now laying so that's more than enough for me, my friends, family, and some to sell at the door

[hmk]

Mine have tailed off the past few weeks too. No blue or white eggs for almost a month, but they're always my most faddy layers.

On the treat front, mine get plenty of greenery (dandelion, elder, chickweed, grass cuttings, spinach etc) and the occasional corn and other treat, and slugs and snails when I find them. The greens make their eggs really yellow, but aren't calorific. Definitely not fat...

[HayleyB]

37 of ours are of laying age CB

I think it's just time of year - summer holidays and so on