[thestephens]

2 weeks ago we had 6 hens and were getting about 5 eggs a day, we purchased 10 hens and 1 cockeral (how did that happen) but now egg production is down to 3-4 eggs a day!!! What could the problem be? Does the cockeral make a difference?

[jaykay]

Not necessarily the cockerel but the whole 'getting used to the newcomers' (or any other change) can put them off their stroke 

[in the hills]

As Jaykay says.
 
And it does go up and down a bit as the year goes on.

[little blue]

are any of them broody?

[Crazyboutdaanimals]

and have some of them gone into molt

[thestephens]

no broodies and no obvious moult, have kept then in for the day just to check that no one was laying where they shouldnt be but ive only had 4 eggs today! lets hope their settling in period is over soon!

[in the hills]

I dont think 4 from 6 hens is too bad, anyway. Even a young hybrid layer will miss a day every now and again (and the cycle for egg production is longer than 24 hours so they will miss for that reason).

[cooped-up]

hi our hens have slowed down this week, i am thinking its the weather its been cold and wet for the last fortnight here 3degrees now and only 6degrees yesterday with rain too more like feb than may

[Sylvia]

Just when my egg sales have picked up and folk are clamouring for eggs, duck eggs in paticular, the hens are going broody(dark brown eggs, have sent you a cheque!) and the ducks have gone on strike   I find the Indian Runners more temperamental than the Campbells

[jaykay]

Yep, just the same here    My runners would lay in the gill somewhere if I didn't keep them shut in til the last minute before I had to leave for work. Now they're hanging onto their eggs even after that