How to Increase Egg Production for Backyard Chickens

If your desire for self-sufficiency and natural living has lead you to build a chicken coop in your back yard, you might have concerns about egg production. Egg laying in hens is affected by numerous factors. Diet, temperature, amount of light, water intake, parasites and illness all change a hen's laying patterns. There are a few easy steps that you can take to better manage your chickens and ensure quality egg production.

Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase age-specific feed for your chickens. Baby chicks and grown laying hens have different nutritional needs, so chicken feed will be mixed accordingly.

    • 2

      Give your chickens a constant supply of food and water. If your chickens are out of food for even a few hours, it is likely that you will experience a temporary decline in egg production.

    • 3

      Provide shade for your chickens. A hot hen house stresses out chickens and reduces the number of eggs produced. Create a shaded area for your chickens to cool themselves, and you will enjoy larger yields.

    • 4

      Remove old layers from the flock. A hen will continue to lay eggs for many years, but a gradual decline occurs over time. If you have had a bird in your flock for two to three years, replace her. Of course, you don't have to replace old layers---but if you don't, expect your feed costs to increase while your yields decrease.

    • 5

      Monitor your chickens for parasites. Lice, worms and other parasites all affect egg production. Backyard chicken flocks are usually small, so you should be able to tell if a chicken appears sick or distressed.