# How much feed & why arent they laying?



## MildredClariceHeidi (Aug 1, 2013)

Hello! We have 5 hens, 4 we just brought in 2.5 weeks ago. They are kept in a very large pen with trees overhead but sunlight as well plus a nice coop w 2 nesting boxes. We give them kitchen scraps almost every day plus about 8-10 cups of the pellets and maybe acup of the corn "treat" stuff. Is this enough? We don't want let them free range because they absolutely demolish the lawn and our potted plants. Any way they seem happy and not too fat but are laying maybe 1 egg every other day! We're feeding 5 chickens and still buying grocery eggs  any advice? We are certainly newbies I guess...


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

I think you are feeding more than enough feed! You could even afford to cut back on that. Feeding more will not make them lay more but some folks tell people that it will.

Right now chickens hormones are at their lowest as they grow adequate feathering for winter, so laying is naturally slowed down to divert nutrients toward feather regrowth. There is nothing you can really do about it, as this is something that just has to happen, but some people provide more light for winter to stimulate laying.

Some do this, some do not...mostly I've found the people who just have a few chickens are more likely to light their coop in the winter because they feel the lack of eggs more deeply than do people who have more chickens. 

I never light my coop as I like allowing the chickens to go through their natural cycles and have found it extends their laying life to allow them a break in the winter, as well as helps their immune system health. 

Either way, if you light them up or not, they have to go through this time of slow down regardless, though the light may help shorten that time.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm with Bee on the feeding. It has been shown that fat hens can have more complications when it comes to a build up of fat when it comes to laying. They are getting way more with the kitchen handouts and what appears to be scratch that you're tossing out to them. 

Also, you said they've only been there a couple of weeks? That will also throw them off. 

So you've got a double whammy going on, Fall and the natural rest period and having just moved.


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## back2simplelife (Jul 6, 2013)

Chickens do not like change.. it can really throw them off. You say you just got them 2.5 weeks ago? ONE of my 9 hens started laying the week after I got her.. most of them was a month! A couple at 6 weeks even. In fact, here we are at 7 weeks and 3 have never laid! They were molting real bad so they have an excuse.. lol And now with less light hours.. well.. not sure if I will get any from them until spring!


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## Shann0 (Sep 19, 2013)

This may be a silly question, but will hens completely stop laying during the winter or will it just slow down considerably?
Shannon


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

According to age of the hen, breed, overall health, etc. If you have a mixed flock of several breeds, ages and types of chickens, your chances of having eggs all winter increases.

I've never had egg laying cease altogether when dealing with young, fertile laying age hens...it just slows down, some birds are laying, then take a break and then others will lay, while some lay every day like clockwork. An older, retired flock will have more difficulty keeping you in eggs each day in the winter, so some pet owners who do not kill their layers will find themselves with low egg return in the winter months. 

The key to getting eggs all winter is to have variety and a rolling flock...a rolling flock is young, POL hens coming into lay in the fall who will lay through the winter while older birds take a little break, then in the spring a broody hatches out a whole new set of chicks that will mature long about fall/winter and do it all again. Older hens who are not laying steady are culled each spring to make room for the newer layers and it all rolls along like that year after year...this makes for a more natural way of having eggs all year round and keeps the flock healthy and productive.


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