helping hens lay again?

[2dream]

I have almost 30 hens and am only getting a couple of eggs a day. EE's are not laying at all. I have one hen that is young and lays an egg about 1x a week. The rest are not doing a thing. My cornish bantums are laying every other day. My silkies were still doing a good job but 2 went broodie. They just hatched out 6 babies and now another is broodie. So no eggs from them either now. My cornish are my saving grace along with my Iowa Blue and one big red hen that was thrown in as a packing peanut by mistake. She has always been my best layer.

They are all healthy - I guess just taking a long winter break. To top it all off most of them went through a really heavy molt just before the days starting getting shorter.

 

[patandchickens]

My 3 EEs and 3 red sexlinks, pullets of this year, are still all laying virtually daily... but my sussex pen, with seven 1.5-yr-old hens plus 3 pullets of this year, is averaging *one* egg per day (total), and that is usually from the sussex-campineX not from any of the 'real' ones

But, they are just coming back from a molt,and I haven't been supplementing light at all, so I figure it's reasonable. Next year I suppose I *might* try adding light. I dunno. It's not that I need the eggs, per se, I just sort of hate getting nothing back for the feed I put into them this time of year

Pat

 

[Iceblink]

Um.. you know what it actually is? They are all saving up their eggs for you for Christmas............. my chickens are 5 and 6 months old, and no eggs yet, so I tell myself they are saving them for a present for me.

My last batch of hens (3) all laid their first eggs on Mother's Day, which was odd, and cool at the same time.

Oh, and you all don't know cold! It was -40 with the windchill the other night. (No wonder my chickens aren't laying!)

 

[justusnak]

We have 2 coops...8 pens total. I use lights on a timer...so they get 12 hours of daylight. I started the lights, after thier fall molt. By far....my Barred Rocks are laying the best! 7 hens, I get 6 eggs a day. I think I will increase thier numbers next year. The RIR, 5 hens, one egg every few days. The Buff Orps.....7 hens...2 eggs a day... the EE's and Welsummers...4 hens(2 of each) 1 egg a day...from the welsummers. The Bantams have not layed since October. I dont mind tho...those silly little eggies are hard to peel!

 

[ORChick]

I live in "balmy" SW Oregon (USDA Ag. Zone #8). Of my 4 hens, one (EE) hasn't laid an egg since the end of September, 2 (both New Hampshire Reds) haven't laid since the end of October, and the remaining hen (Silver Spangled Hamburg) has been consistently laying one (small) egg every other day. The 3 bigger hens (the slackers) all went through a noticeable molt, though the SSH never did, or not to notice anyway. They are all about 21 months old. They don't get any extra light; I figure Mother Nature gave them a break for some reason, so I won't interfere. The last 4 days have seen sub-freezing temps here, and even the SSH seems to have stopped for the time being. Luckily I froze a number of eggs during the summer glut, but this doesn't help much when DH asks for sunny side up eggs for breakfast . The thermometer has risen above the freezing point today so maybe I'll see some eggs soon.

 

[me&thegals]

Oh, and you all don't know cold! It was -40 with the windchill the other night. (No wonder my chickens aren't laying!)

You win!!

 

[kcsunshine]

13 hens, no lights, small coop for roosting only, outside in covered run, some time out to free range and 5 - 9 eggs per day. I just think my ladies love me.

 

[Dace]

Could they have wormies?

I just wormed them two weeks ago and they sure look and act hearty & healthy. Just the one with the paler comb. I will keep a close eye on her though.

 

[inchworm]

Well, mine still seem to be molting. You barely touch them and a "poof" of feathers fly off. They are otherwise lively and eating well. I guess I need to wait until the moulting stops.

I notice that many people on BYC seem to deworm regularly. I have never dewormed them. I keep an eye on their droppings, though I know not all parasites are visible in the droppings. Do any of you deworm regularly or have the dropping tested regularly?

Inchy

 

[Beekissed]

Some of mine are still moulting as well...they look miserable! I can imagine that it really saps their strength and energy to regrow feathers.