Ok Chicken Gurus, Help me out

[Stschil]

I bought a bunch of pullet chicks this past spring. They've grown and most started laying. We were getting about 6 to 7 eggs a day until about two weeks ago. Since then, not a single egg. What's up with that?

I've heard that putting some cyan pepper mixed in with the layer crumbles will get them started again. Is this true?


I need some info/advice, please. I don't want be buying eggs when I have a dozen hens that should be repaying us for all the food and housing that are provided for them. (Wow, sounds like our society. )

 

[clt46910]

I believe you might find they are not getting enough light this time of year. Put up some lights in the hen house. Put them on a timer so they get about 10 or 12 hours of light a day.

 

[shibumiseeker]

They require about 15 hours of light a day to lay eggs. Doesn't have to be a lot of light, but they need it. It takes about 3-4 weeks from the time they start ovulating to the time you get your first egg, and vice versa for them to stop laying.

Other than light, there's lots of things that can make them stop laying for a while, undue stress, lack proper food/water, predator pressure, etc. And since that 3-4 week time lag comes into play, it can be hard to say exactly why.

 

[Wheezy50]

I was a little late getting my light/timer setup this fall and my hens really slowed laying for a few weeks. Went from 4-6 eggs per day down to one sometimes none for probably a 3-4 week period. When i got the light/timer up and running correctly, giving them 12-14 hrs of light they started laying like normal again. Took a week or two for them to get used the longer "days" but their back to normal now.

To add to this thread, it seemed like my hens were molting feathers during the month of Nov. There was a higher than usual amount of feathers laying around the coop and outside run. The egg production went down at this time too, it seemed like the girls were a little distressed for a few weeks.

Is late fall the normal time for them to be molting feathers??

 

[Bucky623]

I’m having the same issues with my chickens so I just put cans of Campbell's chicken noodle soup in the coup to show the birds what else they’re good for.

The chickens might be molting. My birds are on week five or six. It’s been a long dry spell and I don’t like having to go out and buy eggs but the girls can use the break I guess.

 

[goinggreyfast]

I don't want be buying eggs when I have a dozen hens that should be repaying us for all the food and housing that are provided for them. (Wow, sounds like our society. )

You could try frying a couple up? What does fried Occupier taste like?

 

[shibumiseeker]

We prep for the slow times by taking the extra eggs we don't sell and scrambling them then putting them raw in serving sized quart ziplocs. Some will be servings for 2 (6 eggs) and some for 3 (9 eggs) and some for omelets (a dozen eggs).

We didn't used to scramble them before putting them in the freezer in the bags but then the yolks were really hard to get to mix properly.

 

[Stschil]

I’m having the same issues with my chickens so I just put cans of Campbell's chicken noodle soup in the coup to show the birds what else they’re good for.

The chickens might be molting. My birds are on week five or six. It’s been a long dry spell and I don’t like having to go out and buy eggs but the girls can use the break I guess.

I told them yesterday that were going to be the "guest of honor" at dinner one night soon if they don't start laying again. :-)

You could try frying a couple up? What does fried Occupier taste like?

We prep for the slow times by taking the extra eggs we don't sell and scrambling them then putting them raw in serving sized quart ziplocs. Some will be servings for 2 (6 eggs) and some for 3 (9 eggs) and some for omelets (a dozen eggs).

We didn't used to scramble them before putting them in the freezer in the bags but then the yolks were really hard to get to mix properly.

That's a great idea! Thank you