Hens Laying Smaller Eggs for Months

[Dan23]

I have about 15 hens and over the last two months or so, I've noticed that the hens are laying smaller and smaller eggs. These are full-sized chickens that are two to three years old. Does this signal something missing in their diet? They used to lay eggs that ranged from large to extra large....now they're small to medium and a few large . . . and today I had an egg about the width and height of a quarter. This isn't a one time thing or a week-long thing, it just seems the entire flock has been impacted. The only thing that is different is that they're probably getting more greens and more fruit than in winter and early spring months. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Kiki]

Are you feeding them a complete chicken laying feed too?

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Are they getting enough calcium? This is needed to produce eggshells.

 

[Dan23]

Are you feeding them a complete chicken laying feed too?

I have been feeding my chickens a mixture of layer pellets, scratch, cracked corn, whole corn, and dry cat food. Mixture ratio is 6-1-1-.5-.75, respectively. The only feed difference I've made recently is I started using cracked corn and reduced the amount of whole corn (used to be 0-2 cracked and whole, respectively, now it's 1-.5 ratio). I was told by the people at the feed store that chickens process the cracked corn better, so I made that change.

 

[Dan23]

Are they getting enough calcium? This is needed to produce eggshells.

I have a bucket of oyster shell in the coop and the layer pellets are supposed to have calcium in them. The shells are not thin, so it would seem they are getting enough calcium . . . as I thought that was the indication of not enough calcium (thin shells). Or perhaps that's wrong; perhaps with less calcium the eggs do become smaller?

 

[Dawnclucks22]

I have a bucket of oyster shell in the coop and the layer pellets are supposed to have calcium in them. The shells are not thin, so it would seem they are getting enough calcium . . . as I thought that was the indication of not enough calcium (thin shells). Or perhaps that's wrong; perhaps with less calcium the eggs do become smaller?

Hm... I'm not sure. Is there anything stressing them out? I've heard stress can cause disruptions in the reproductive system and cause really small eggs (wind eggs).

 

[GC-Raptor]

Yea, I think it's nutritional. Chicken feed has all needed nutrients, including calcium if it's a layers feed.
My eggs have dropped a size or two since May, and weekly production dropped from 32/35, to 29, the last 2 weeks, from 5 Golden Comets.
They are eating about half the pellets they did during the winter season.
They are eating bugs, grass, weeds and dirt. All good things, but not nutritionally complete, to support a modern hens egg production.
That's my guess. GC
Update. I do supply oyster shell in a separate container, free choice.

 

[Chickiemom25]

Are they getting enough calcium? This is needed to produce eggshells.

low calcium usually means soft shell eggs, not smaller one I thought

 

[Kiki]

I have been feeding my chickens a mixture of layer pellets, scratch, cracked corn, whole corn, and dry cat food. Mixture ratio is 6-1-1-.5-.75, respectively. The only feed difference I've made recently is I started using cracked corn and reduced the amount of whole corn (used to be 0-2 cracked and whole, respectively, now it's 1-.5 ratio). I was told by the people at the feed store that chickens process the cracked corn better, so I made that change.

You might want to read this:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production
I would drop all the treats and see if things improve for you.

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x KikisGirls