22 hens and only 10 eggs per day

[snaffle]

I started to go through the post on the 'stickie' about laying issues but there are over 800 replies.... ;

some of my hens are 1 year old. Others are 26-27 weeks.

They went through a molt recently. Went from 4/6 eggs to day to 10.

They are being fed an 18% feed, grit and oyster shell.

Access to a grassy yard daily.

New chicken house 10 x 20 and I do not feel they are too crowded but maybe they are?

There are approximately 26 standard chickens and 10 cochin banties.

I gave them vegies from the garden and gmo free corn was tossed in the yard.

What is going on that I am not getting more eggs?

Red stars/sex links.... (5) americaunas... 6 (?) copper marans .... one barred rock

a few young roosters that don't realize they are roosters yet

 

[Double Laced]

Hi, Am i right in thinking you have quite short days at the moment.

They laying cycle of chickens is governed by day length. Less eating hours also means they will struggle to eat enough to keep up their egg production.

My hens normally have between 4 and 8 weeks of laying during the moult. Some just carry on laying but most have a break.

 

[woody1]

"some of my hens are 1 year old. Others are 26-27 weeks" Chances are the only hens laying regularly are the younger ones. The hens that have already laid thru one cycle will take some time off and will not, ever, lay as many eggs as they did the first cycle. The eggs may be larger, but not as many. Our current flock consists of an even dozen hens. Nine are about 7 months old, just a little older than yours. The remaining 3 are a year older. Right now we never get more than 9 eggs as the older girls are molting and lay only occasionally.

Sad as it is to say, if you want real egg production, replace your hens annually. HTH

 

[snaffle]

Woody I always thought that too... if I want good egg production that I should change hens yearly and that is what I had been doing until I heard others say 2 years was ok.

I now have 21 hens and am sometimes getting 14/15 eggs per day.

I think my problem could be the copper marans and the americauna's or eater eggers. Those breeds just dont lay every day.
I do like the colors in the egg carton for my egg buyers so I guess I will just have to deal with a few bad layers lol

 

[mortie]

800 replies means there is probably a lot of good information. I would still encourage you to read through that and see if there isn't some new info for you that isn't covered here.

Sounds like almost half of your birds are not the type to lay daily. Given the time of year (if you are in the northern hemisphere) your numbers are pretty good. With those breeds I personally wouldn't expect to get more than 15 or so even when they're all laying at full capacity.

All things considered it sounds like you are doing great.