Selfsufficientish.com

I give up.

We have nine hens and one cockerel in the garden, and this week (similar in the last three) we have had ONE EGG. I calaculate that this one egg cost £12.78 in layers pellets to produce!

Is anyone else experiencing a slowdown/grinding stop in egg production? I know it is winter, but last year we were still averaging about 4 a day. Granted, five of the flock are 3 year old retired ex-batts, so I would expect a reduction in egg production at some point, but not all at the same time.

I just don't get it - they have been wormed recently, have plenty of food, the same food they have always had and no material change in their conditions at all - other than introducing the cockerel. And we haev checked their enclosure, and can see no secret nest, which they have done before.

However, last week's egg was a triple yolker - took a photo I was so impressed - so I guess at least one of them is trying to compensate!

Not much of a slow down as yet - I keep making dire predictions involving number of hours of daylight required per egg.

However our three chooks are still relative babies (ie POL at the end of September).

Although I still reckon given my OH's propensity for insisting that the poor girls are starving and need their treats (plus the initial outlay) we're operating at around £5 an egg.

But they are very nice eggs.
ES

There's a reason why commercial free range outfits get new P.o.L. birds in Autumn,unless they're new layers,normally the birds stop laying with reduced light levels,hence Battery producers(and some free range)give them artificial light to maintain laying(one reason why ex-bats are so shagged out).Commercial FR outfits often sell off their yearlings(50p-£1 round here) and with a bit of extra lightin their laying quarters they can go a bit longer through the winter.But really I think they SHOULD rest in the winter(as should we all),thats why preserving eggs(pickled,in cakes,waterglass ,vaseline etc. is so important.

We got ours chickens last February, and they are about a year old now, so this is the first time they have been laying during dark months. In the summer I was usually getting 20-21 eggs per week from the three of them. At the end of September this reduced to 18-19 pw, now they're plopping out 15-16pw. So yes they have slowed down, but not stopped (yet). I'm guessing they haven't stopped because they're still so young. Also, they're about at the end of their layers pellets, so I'm going to see if there's an increase in egg production when I start a new bag, because I did notice that last time we were near the end of the bag, they went slowed right down, and then picked up again when I started a new bag (see this thread)

I've never had a hen who laid in the winter other than first year layers. It's quite normal for them to stop laying in winter Bonnie. Maybe you should get ducks as mine have laid all through the winter for 4 years. Thank god for my ducks!

Have you tried feeding them some sage, breadcrumbs and onion? ;)

Hmm, we have the opposite problem, , the goose who is supposed to start laying in Feb/ Mar, has over the last two weeks laid 5 eggs, and although, as MMM says, our Hens normally take a rest in winter months, are still laying.

Just don't anyone tell the Daily Mail about the £12.78 egg.

oldjerry wrote:There's a reason why commercial free range outfits get new P.o.L. birds in Autumn,unless they're new layers,normally the birds stop laying with reduced light levels,hence Battery producers(and some free range)give them artificial light to maintain laying(one reason why ex-bats are so shagged out).Commercial FR outfits often sell off their yearlings(50p-£1 round here) and with a bit of extra lightin their laying quarters they can go a bit longer through the winter.But really I think they SHOULD rest in the winter(as should we all),thats why preserving eggs(pickled,in cakes,waterglass ,vaseline etc. is so important.

yeh - modern hybrids have been bred to lay every day.. and when the moult.. thats when the intensive farmer gets rid. which is why they are in a sorry state when they are 'rescued' - of course their combs are pale, and their feathers coming out.. thats cos they are in moult and have stopped laying....

i have 22 hens, and a cockerel.. and am collecting slightly less than 1 egg a day at the mo! but... our sales of eggs when we have plenty covers the food bills for the whole year.

and i freeze eggs, to help us through the lean times. The hens seem to react to the lengthening days, so we expect a return of the eggs after thingymas

Playing guitar to them does nothing to improve their laying performance. Neither did giving in to Wifey's nagging and building them a swing because "budgies have swings, why not chickens?". They ignore the music and haven't touched the swing once.

Phew not just us, husband has played them guitar (nonplussed would be the word, maybe a shade of disdain) and daughter made them a swing- Ritchie did you fashion yours out of a stick and some string? (again nonplussed with a shade of disdain). Anyhoo still not bloody laying maybe I'll make 'em some porridge.

Maybe it's the choice of music. Try this ...


http://www.6lyrics.com/the_egg_song-lyr ... eople.aspx

... possibly the worst song ever written.

Mike

snapdragon wrote:Have you tried feeding them some sage, breadcrumbs and onion? ;)

Lmao Snapdragon!! Mmmm chicken soup! X

Bonnie. Not sure what you are feeling your ladies. But I switched from organic layers pellets to Farm Gate and I am getting between three and four eggs day from five birds. I switched because I was only getting one egg a day if that, and I was getting a bit fed up.

Well I followed Richie' sexample and fed them some nice porridge on Sunday and what do we have Monday- a lovely egg, laid, we suspect by one of the young 'uns who'd never laid before. Coincidence? I think not.

You could follow the example of the egg farmers and put a light inside their hen house. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. A solar light could just be enough.

Zoe