Instructions
Identify Signs of Acute Illness
Check for mucus coming out of the hen's nostrils or eyes. Note the smell and color of any discharge.
Check her crop for fullness and her comb for signs of dehydration (e.g., a purple and shriveled appearance).
Check her droppings for signs of undigested food, worms, diarrhea, blood or unusual coloring.
Check your bird's breathing for wheezing, gasping or rattles. Watch for signs of gasping.
Consult a reputable source to evaluate any signs of illness.
Environmental Considerations
Maintain ambient temperatures above freezing and below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature extremes may cause the hen's system to divert energy away from egg production and into a survival-type reaction.
Install a clamp light and a 100-watt bulb in your chicken coop. Use a timer to run the lamp long enough each night for the birds to get 16 hours total of bright, simulated daylight.
Replace soiled bedding in nest box. If the available nest box is not satisfactory, a hen may begin to lay in an alternate location.
Check the coop and nest box for signs of predator disturbances. If the hen is startled while in the nest box, she may be hesitant to use it until she overcomes her fear.
Reduce stress by providing adequate space for each bird. Provide additional nest boxes to reduce fighting among hens for favorite boxes.
Dietary Modifications
Change water at least once a day, more often if your hens show signs of stress. Use a water heater to keep water from freezing in the winter. Add additional watering stations and ice in the summer to keep the water cool.
Augment feed rations with extra protein by switching to a feed with a higher protein value or adding protein sources such as cooked beans and boiled eggs to the hens' daily regimen. Feed chickens a mix of kitchen scraps to diversify their diet.
Offer fresh grit plus a calcium source such as egg shells or oyster shells. These are critical for hens to digest food and produce strong eggs.
Other Considerations
Determine the age of the hen. After two years of steady laying, most hens start to slow down their egg production.
Check feathers for signs of thinning. Hens stop laying when they are molting, which can last up to 6 weeks. Increasing protein levels in their feed will facilitate strong feather growth.
Check for signs of broody behavior. The hen may be hiding eggs until she has enough to make up a clutch.
Isolate individual hens to determine who is producing and to identify potential egg-eating hens.
My Hens Are Having Problems Laying Eggs
Laying hens vary in production rates based on their breed, age, housing, diet, weather and even the amount of daylight they receive. Hens have a pre-set number of eggs in their ovaries at birth, and typically, these eggs are all expended by 3 years of age. By the time a hen is 2-years-old, she's had a drop-off in the number of eggs she produces weekly. Additionally, illness can significantly alter laying frequency. For the most part, however, sporadic slowing in laying rates can be mitigated by simple flock management modifications.