HI!! This is such a great site!! So many people seem to actually know what they are talking about!!I have had my chickens for about three months and they have not been laying many eggs. No one has really been able to tell me how to get them to lay more eggs. Do they need specific light, food or a special time of year? I am totally new at this so any information would be great!! Thank you so much!!

-- Kellie Ferrell (kellie2111@yahoo.com), December 04, 2000

Answers

Hi Kellie: How old are your chickens? I live in Michigan, where it is quite cold this time of year so my way might not be the best way for you. I feed a good laying mash in one feeder, and scratch in another feeder and oyster shell free choice. I also give goats milk when I have it (skimmed, I use the cream) The biggest thing I have found to help in my area is warm water and extra light to give them a full 14 hours of feeding time. Hope that helps. diane

-- Diane Green (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), December 04, 2000.

Kellie, I agree with everthing Diane said, the light is very important, plus your chickens might be molting right now, drastically cuts egg production! Be sure to feed your 16% laying mash or crumbles free choice, provide non-frozen water free choice ( an electric pet water bowl or bucket works great), granite grit ( so they can grind up their food in their gizzards), oyster shell for adequate mineral supplementation, and some form of greens everyday, either fresh cut "hay" type grasses, especially dandelion greens, or a very good quality fine, grass-like second or third cut hay. Feed all the "greens" they will eat everyday. Additionally, I add one ounce of cider vinegar to a gallon of water ratio, for their drinking water, helps with mineral absorbtion, and kills salmonella bacteria in their gut. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), December 05, 2000.

I never heard of the vinegar in the drinking water. Will have to check that out.

I'm not supplementing the light my hens are getting at all, and out of 7 hens I'm getting 1 to 2 eggs a day, which is PLENTY for me.

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), December 05, 2000.

Eric in TN, first year hens will produce well regardless of light (not an average of 5-6 eggs per week with light 14 hours a day) for home use, but second and third year hens really benefit from 14 hours of light to get any production at all for your feed used. I got to weigh the cost of feeding them, with the amount of eggs produced, in deciding how to keep them under lights. I sell the excess eggs to pay for their feed, another reason I keep them for two years only, then hatch out, and brood the replacements for a fresh batch of egg layers. I never have trouble selling the old ones, even though I tell folks they're not producing well any more. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), December 05, 2000.

Kellie, you can use eggs shells to put minerals back. Dry the eggs shells well, in the oven on warm or in the microwave. Then crush up the shells real good so they don't look like shells anymore. Goodluck with your chickens, I love mine, they are an easy and very useful addition to any home.

-- Tina (clia88@newmexico.com), December 06, 2000.

To answer your question: Hens of the proper age, not molting, light and good food 24/7.

Now practicality and economics might cut back on some of that.

I have 25 hens. Two are beyond egg laying age (one of them is 5 years old but is broody and setting for me). I am currently getting about 20 eggs a day.

-- Heather (heathergorden@hotmail.com), December 07, 2000.