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12:32 pm
April 20, 2011
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The only problem I see is that we found was to replace our layers after two years. Five years is a long time for hens. They will not be laying much or at all. They will make a good stewing hen or if you can't do that because you are attached to them they can just be pets. Or you might find someone who would like some stewing hens. With the cost of feed and that you want eggs…your choice. When you have young pullets and they reach 6 months you can check their pelvis. You want at least two minimum or three best finger width between the bones of their pelvis. They will be a good layer. Some hens are so narrow they will never lay eggs. You will be wasting feed. Lol, my DH iwas a Future Farmer of America. So many years ago…We found that this was a great help in having a healthy productive flock. Hope this helps.
6:47 am
June 2, 2010
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I agree that 5 years is a long time for hens but two of those girls have raised 3 sets of chicks for me. They're excellent mothers and terrific garden diggers so they will have long, happy lives here. This past summer they were laying an egg every other day. Not bad for old gals!
Whenever I want a new garden area, I just throw my kitchen scraps over the area and the girls dig it up for me. Automatic composters!
7:06 am
November 9, 2010
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I am having trouble getting my girls in gear since it has gotten a little colder. I had read someone talking about the extra protein in their diet to help with laying. Could I give them some, not much, ground beef that has been cooked? Would that help?
10:14 am
February 10, 2009
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yes, I'm convinced that they're really little velocoraptors and meat won't hurt them a bit, all those 'vegetarian diet' labels on eggs notwithstanding. I suppose it's good because in a commercial setting, who KNOWS what they'd be feeding the poor dears.
At home, when you know what you're giving them and where it's coming from, old meat from the freezer, table scraps and whatever else you feel safe giving to them are fine. They'll eat it right up. You might still consider a bag of game feed though, once you figure the price per lb, it's a much better buy in the long run.
11:03 am
June 2, 2010
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Buckeye Girl,
I agree 100% about the veciloraptor tendencies. When I open the back door I have 17 of them coming at me flapping their wings seeing who can get to the goodies first. My chickens are not vegetarians. They eat bugs, mice, snakes and I'm convinced if I fell down and was knocked unconscious in their coop, ME! They love leftover yogurt, whey and milk that has soured. I just gave them another of my suet cubes this morning and within about 30 minutes it was gone.
11:58 am
December 14, 2010
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Give them the dregs from the stock pot. When they are finished even the flies won't be able to find any food.
3:57 pm
November 9, 2010
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ok, I make my own dog food which is, chicken or ground beef (which ever is on sale, right now ground beef) brown rice, yogurt and cottage cheese. I had cooked up too much ground beef that is frozen but I thought I could dethaw some of that and give it to them. I am going to also give the light a try, I havent yet but you never know it might help! I just want my fresh eggs again, I hate the store bought eggs they are just so gross but I have to make them for the kiddos.
4:44 pm
March 1, 2011
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I have about 37 laying hens and five pullets. I also have 2 roosers. Some of my girls just finished a molt, and some are just starting. I mix a little "grower" feed in with the regular crumbles, and such that I feed for extra protein. It takes protein to make new feathers and protein for eggs. They usually can't get enough from straight crumbles. I've even threw out a handful of catfood or two. 
My girls had slacked off in the summer big time. There was a day that I didn't get any at all! They have now picked up in the past 2/3 weeks. I'm getting about 2 doz. a day. I have never put a light in my chicken house. Most of my girls will be 2 in June. They lay better in the winter/early spring than any other time. This time last year I was getting 3 doz. a day. I have a combination of Comets, RIR, White Leghorn, and Black Sexlink. I also put three of my roos in the freezer…..so that could have helped production too.
4:52 pm
November 9, 2010
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I would do anything right now to help them along. I have 3 hens and 1 roo. One of my hens was hurt because of me..I forgot to close the coop and I have one that is wobbleing and one that is going completly. The other 2 should be fine…Im at a loss on what to do for them, they better start doing something or my hubby said that they will go to freezer camp!
6:08 pm
October 31, 2010
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I read that in the "old days" the family would send out one of the young boys to shoot or trap some small animals to put out for the chickens to eat in the winter on a regular basis. The writer said the the people knew that their chickens needed the protein and that since it was winter they wouldn't be able to find it themselves (toads, snakes and the like) it was the young boys job to get something for them on a regular basis. One of those "coming of age" responsibilities for them to contribute to the family.
8:46 pm
August 30, 2008
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"Reduction of sunlight can cause a reduction in egg lay. All bird's reproductive systems are highly regulated by the amount of sunlight received per day. When day length falls below 12 hours per day, egg production decreases and may cease completely."
10:36 pm
January 9, 2012
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My production was down to 2 eggs a month from 25 hens. I have been so exasperated I swear I wanted to do them all in. But…. never seemed to get around to it. I have 2 young dominick (sp?) they have just started in the last couple weeks, I got them in May. I thought I was the only one on earth having this problem. We've had chickens for years and NEVER have they completely stopped. We have a few buffs banded as great setters and mothers, I will not do away with them, but I do think I am going to can chicken for the first time soon. In spring we will start over with a whole new flock.
Seems everything went wrong when my sweet sister in law decided for some unknown reason we needed more chickens (WHAT?) so she shows up with 12 black stars. We have astrauloupe (sp?) and she thinks black is black. NOPE I don't know if that had anything to do with egg production going dead but seemed it just got worse all summer til it was virtually nil. I do not want them for pets, I want eggs. had to buy yuck yuck store eggs for holiday baking. oh me oh my
Oh, dh told her if she ever brought another creature here she was taking it home lol
11:15 pm
February 10, 2009
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Well, I'm not sure new hens of any kind would cause a drop, but anything is possible… but now the daylight is increasing and I'm getting quite a few eggs again, I've had as many as 9 in one day, turned into only 8 because I dropped one, but there WERE 9 till that moment! I'm still not up to max numbers, 8 or 9 a day from 20 hens isn't great, but it's definitely better than -0- so I'm not complaining!
12:25 am
January 9, 2012
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I don't really think the new chicks had anything to do with the decline, just seemed to happen that way. With the summer we had in 2010 everything was off. Our garden did nothing the chickens went weird. Just a horrid summer. Coyotes killed 2 of our pigs shortly after we got them. We just had a alful year all way round.
I do think we are going to start over with the chickens tho. several of ours are old. dh is not a fan of black stars so….. we will stick with the heavy breeds.
I got the impression from reading this thread others were having similar problems which made me think maybe I wasn't loosing it 
Can relate to the dropping uuuuggghhhh got an egg last summer, bumped and broke it on the nest box getting it out, the second egg that day I layed on the counter on a paper towel, shortly after while yacking grabbed the paper towel and the egg went on the floor. OMG lost the whole days eggs. duh 
11:32 am
March 30, 2009
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I'm so glad that egg production has started to go back up. I actually made it through without having to buy any eggs this year due to the eggs I froze. Looks like that most of my newer birds from last summer are starting to lay. I now have enough to share, eat, and freeze! Also, my friend stopped by today and pointed out which roosters it was time to slaughter. So very thankful for the people who are willing to teach me!
7:53 pm
December 29, 2011
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Other people have already mentioned putting a light in the coop, but we had Dominiques and Rhode Island Reds, and we actually tested it… two weeks on and two weeks off…. and then the rest of the winter ON after what we discovered…
If we put a heat lamp in their coop over the winter, we got a LOT more eggs. We had the heat lamp on a thermostat plug thing so it only came on on nights that it got under 20 or so (most nights where we were in the mountains) but it made a huge difference in production- I don't know if it was the warmth (because they didn't have to expend energy to keep warm) or the light….
Our flock free ranged, but I also made a special point in the winter of warm treats (dinner leftovers and such) and putting their eggshells in the yard and feed with them so they didn't even have to brave the snow to get to the compost pile. I have to second the comment, kellyb, about them being the best garden clearers/ composters ever! We'd just open up the garden at the end of the season (after we had cold frames up for the crops we were keeping) and let them clear it all out for us! So wonderful! I miss my "ladies"!!!!
10:19 am
February 9, 2010
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Hi guys, I had forgotten about this post with the wedding and the holidays. My girls did start laying. I have 15 and I am getting up to 13 eggs a day. This includes the old girls. Some days we just get 8 or 9 but that is more than enough for us, now that our son has gone back to college. I have more than enough to share now, but they will more than likely slow down around Easter when I want tons of eggs! That's the way it goes. Hope you all had great holidays and that the new year is all you hope it will be and more.
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