[clairea77]

I have four very happy chickens who each produce an egg every day. I can only eat 12 eggs a week at most so I am having to give the rest away.

Is there any way to stop the chickens laying so frequently? I don't want to over-tax their bodies unnecessarily by producing eggs I don't need. Do I just leave the eggs in the nesting box to encourage them to get broody? Or is this cruel when the eggs will never hatch?

Any advice welcome!

[Jukes Mum]

No but you can give eggs to your neighbours. Then if you are ever away, they'll look after the chickens for you 

[macgro7]

Yes don't feed them - they won't lay.

[Fleecewife]

Yes don't feed them - they won't lay.

If they're in a pen and you don't feed them then of course they will die.  If they are free range and you don't feed them layers pellets or similar, then they will continue to lay because they will pick up plenty of protein and vitamins etc from the ground.
However, they will not lay in the autumn and early winter, so you are best to preserve your surplus eggs, by pickling or freezing, for use when you don't have enough.


Going broody is more of a strain on a hen's body than laying an egg.  She will barely eat, not drink enough, get little fresh air and exercise for 3 weeks, and will take a few more weeks to recover. Some breeds will go broody frequently, other breeds don't do it often.

[Steph Hen]

There’s a happy medium between death and ad lib food. If they’re free range and you stop supplementary grain eggs will likely decrease a bit. If they’re in a pen, you can feed them less, best to give them other stuff like green veg, a big rotten tree stump, cut turfs to keep them active and pecking... eggs will tail off, but yeah, watch their behaviour, pick them up daily to feel condition and don’t let them die!

[macgro7]

Yes don't feed them - they won't lay.

I was joking by the way!
You obviously still have to feed them something.
If you want less eggs why don't you get a nice looking breed that laysbless eggs?
Ifbyoir have no one to give them to then perhapsbstart baking a lot 

[Fleecewife]

Yes don't feed them - they won't lay.

I was joking by the way!
You obviously still have to feed them something.
If you want less eggs why don't you get a nice looking breed that laysbless eggs?
Ifbyoir have no one to give them to then perhapsbstart baking a lot 

Yes I know you were joking macgro7       and yes, baking is good for using up eggs if you have a waistline that will take it 

[Maysie]

...baking is good for using up eggs if you have a waistline that will take it 

My waistline can easily take the cake, as it expands to suit.  It is the waistband of my trousers that struggle!

[macgro7]

Get yourself trousers with rubber band! Thats it! Sorted 

[twizzel]

My chickens will slow down laying if I add rolled barley into their feed ration. It doesn’t have as much protein so will slow down laying. But personally I keep mine on ad lib pellets and give the eggs away

[macgro7]

I sell spare eggs - pays for the food.
As far as I know chickens can't digest barley? Wheat gives then quite good protein. I feed mine rolled oats sometimes. Especially in winter - keeps then warm and is cheaper.

[harry]

Pickle them. The eggs not the hens

[Briggsy from Gower]

Fleecewife,

You mention freezing eggs.

Did not know that is possible, how would you prepare them?

[landroverroy]

I sell spare eggs - pays for the food.
As far as I know chickens can't digest barley? Wheat gives then quite good protein. I feed mine rolled oats sometimes. Especially in winter - keeps then warm and is cheaper.

Poultry can digest barley; but as mentioned it has less protein than wheat and they need a certain level of protein for egg laying. So you'd find they would tend to put on weight and lay less eggs if you fed them much barley.
Best way to stop poultry laying is to feed new corn, recently harvested. It will put them into an immediate moult and you'll be buying eggs in no time.

[doganjo]

Give them less light - shut them in earlier than dusk, and let them out later, make sure there isn't a window in their coop, or cover it over.