Erin Bennett

Thanks for the insights. It sounds as though we just need to wait out the molting phase.

We have about 45 laying hens that we rotate around the pasture and supplement with Countryside soy-free layer feed. They get oyster shells, DE, and kelp free choice. Most of the year, including in the winter, they lay 25 to 30 eggs a day. They started molting about a month ago. We are now getting between 5 and 8 eggs a day. Is this normal? It seems really low. Should we be supplementing with additional protein? If so, are there other options than soy. I have tried to give them any extra comfrey we have, but I don't have enough growing to make a material impact. Any thoughts would be very welcome. Thank you!

Walter Jeffries wrote:We have about a hundred chicks we got the second week of June. They have just started to lay a few small eggs last week. That's about twelve weeks. We don't feed them during the warm months - they forage for their own food out on pasture. These are Araucana, Orpington, Rhode Island Reds and other heritage breeds.

Wow, that's impressive! Your pastures must be much more nutrient dense than ours.

Hello. We have about 50 heritage breed chickens that are now 24 weeks old. Only one of them is laying. I'm wondering if we are doing something wrong, or if heritage birds raised and rotated regularly on pasture (with organic, soy-free supplemental layer feed) start laying on a different timing. Perhaps I should just be patient, but I thought it could be helpful to solicit others' advice on this topic. Thank you!