The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Hilarysmum on April 20, 2008, 03:24:41 pm
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My chickens came back into lay in Feb, I had 5 hens and a cockerel, all at least 2 years old, started getting 3 eggs regularly, often 4 occasionally 5. In March bought a new hen, she came into lay, eggs dropped off to 3 a day. So bought 3 more, point of lay, they started to lay, egg production went up dramaticall to 5 a day, but has since dropped off to 3 a day, bought 2 more hens a fortnight later, again total increased, then dropped, now bought two more and a new cockerel as the old one died 2 weeks ago, egg production peaked at 8 eggs 3 days ago, and now down to 1 a day.
They are very well fed, they have access to clean water at all times, are totally free range but not laying in secret places. They all have red polls. They are wormed. The same old 2 or 3 aged hens still lay. The rest have stopped. Short of a lot of chicken pies and eating dreadful supermarket eggs what is the solution?
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We find the weather affects the laying. Our eggs can fall off by half on wet days or cold days. On a good day we hope to get around 18 - 20 eggs, which we rely on for the pigs as well as ourselves. We do have wanderers, eggs are being laid in an unused rabbit hutch at the moment. I think yours are behaving normally and since you are obviously covering all their welfare points, I think you are just being unlucky. I am sure they will pick up production again. If not send Hilary in!
Kate :chook: