Chickens barely laying

[Yukonn15]

Since about July of 2021 my 8 hens have barely been laying. I have two 8 year olds that miraculously still lay off and on (Easter Eggers). I have a Brama that just wants to eat and probably hasn’t layed in a year she’s about 5. Then i have two more 4 year olds that are sporadic. Then I have a few more that are fairly young about 2 that are ok. I have read and studied to make things better for them. I have made sure they have had some DE in their diet. I have now put them on a high protein diet because I have read that helps. It’s getting cold here (Michigan) so they have already molted, I also have 5 11 week old new hens. But no one is fighting so that went well. I also have 3 ducks in an adjoining pen who have been holding down the fort for egg laying, they are great like clock work. I just dont know what else to do. Am I being impatient? I have had hens/chicks for 8 years and never had this problem. Should I treat all the hens with Corid? But then we cant eat the eggs and I’m not sure how long? Anyone have any advice Ive tried everything I know to do.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

So it just sounds like you have an old flock. Chickens begin to slow down 2-3 years of age. If they are your pets, you can just keep them and get some new chicks. I would really suggest either replacing the flock or adding on to it. You can't expect the 5+ year old hens to continue laying. It all depends on how they were raised.

Where in Michigan are you at? I live in New Era MI!

 

[Fallenone05]

Any chicken above 5 years old is going to lay less, and sometimes stop altogether.

The young pullets that are 11 weeks won't start laying until they're probably around 6 months old or so.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Should I treat all the hens with Corid? But then we cant eat the eggs and I’m not sure how long?

Corid is to treat coccidiosis, it's not some magic pill to make chickens lay (all you're doing is inhibiting intake of thiamine). It's also got no withdrawal timer on it.

DE in their diet doesn't do anything.

It's completely expected that the older birds are going to lay less and less each year, and for shorter periods each year. All my older girls pretty much quit laying in summer and won't resume again until closer to spring.

 

[Mrs. K]

Shorter days, longer nights, and molting - stop laying or drastically reduce the number of eggs with an active laying flock of the age 2-3 years. Anything older than 3, I would not expect any eggs until spring. and then just a few. That is just how chickens are.

Your younger birds will be more consistent. This is why a multi-generational flock, where you cull birds each year, and add chicks each year is a much more productive flock.

Mrs K

 

[theoldchick]

Most chickens will slow down after the age of two. But remember certain breeds will continue to lay egg longer than other breeds. If you purchased hens for eggs, you are going to have to replace your older hens with younger birds of a breed known to lay many eggs.

 

[Kathy1827]

I have 3 white leghorns in our mixed flock, they are a year old. we have only had about 10 eggs from all of them. It is easy to tell as they are the only white egg layers
All the chicks are normally free ranged in the PM so thinking the leghorns may be laying outside of the coop we have been keeping them in. No luck. They all look well, eating and drinking. They all get good quality food
All the other chicks are laying.

Any ideas?