# Chickens adjusting and egg laying



## Stephoo (Jul 3, 2013)

I was just wandering what to expect from my chickens I got 3 hens last Saturday and Sunday I got 3 eggs now every day I've only found 1 egg and nine this morning so far how long till they are adjusted and start laying a eggs better or is this normal

And how much to feed them I gave them 3 cups of laying crumbles this morning is that enough ?


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## Stephoo (Jul 3, 2013)

There's 3 hens and a rooster in the pen


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## littlegoatgirl (Jan 11, 2013)

For feeding, I'd just try to make sure they always have some. Keep feeding the layer crumble, but you might want to add corn or scratch mix. It's up to you.

How old are the hens? Take into consideration the weather; when it's too cold or too hot, they won't lay. In the winter you won't get as many eggs. 

Eventually they'll become more consistent with their laying, but there will always be those weird days that they don't lay at all.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Chickens lay on approximately a 25 hour schedule. If they lay at 10 am today, tomorrow 11, etc. till late afternoon, then for some reason
they skip a day and start over. If you keep supplemental light on them, they will lay through the winter.
I have a small flock (20 hens and 3 stupid roosters) and they have light from 5 am until 9 pm. I do that when the days start getting shorter.
(like next week!)


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

We've had extremely high success rates with out flock over the winter. We selectively cull for hens that insist on "holding out" in the winter light or not. Couple generations later we're getting typically 30-35 eggs a day between 50-60 hens. Of course we also have broody hens year round as well. 

Anyway, back to the topic. Free choice feed for one week and monitor consumption. With that many hens (3 right?) I wouldn't suggest leaving the container full 24/7. Rodents, spilled feed, mold, stale feed can occur. I would monitor the intake and then add enough for their daily ration and a little extra to carry over. The rest you can store inside someplace covered and dry. I also would suggest looking into pellets or ground corn. They can be so wasteful with crumbles. We have a large flock year round and every ounce adds up quick. We do a custom mix. We take 16% layer mix, 18% layer mix, ground corn, oats, and chick grower for extra fat and mix it all up. Big plump healthy birds.


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## Stephoo (Jul 3, 2013)

Ok thanks for all the advice they are laying eggs again  but never seem full I give like 3 coffee cups full of crumbles in the morning and take scraps out to them later and than 3 more coffee cups full mid afternoon they go at it like they are starved and never have any leftover if i made sure there was food in there at all times im afraid that be too costly the way they are eating ubless they would settle down eventually I Diddnt see the laying pellets when I got their feed but ill get some next time for them


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Good way to tell if you're feeding enough is to go into the coop at night. Chickens eat to fill prior to roosting. You should be able to feel their crops nice big round and slightly firm. If they are squishy or empty, you know you don't have enough. I also take food away at night, pests like to invade the coop in search of feed


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