January 31

My hens will be in the stew pot next fall. Production this winter is abysmal. Really - 1 egg in all of January from 8 laying hens is ridiculous. I expect the added daylight to bring production up to 3-6 eggs a day by summer. I'm getting chicks this spring that should be producing by fall and through the winter.

This is a poorly performing flock - my flock was producing about 2 dozen eggs a week back in 2010 - granted there were 4 more hens in the flock, but 1 egg in January 2015 vs 90 in January 2011?

2011 - 13 hens, 9 aged 1 year, 2 aged 3 years, 2 aged 9 years
2015 - 8 hens, 2 aged 3 years, 6 aged 2+ years

Look like culling birds after second season is the way to go. There are other factors of course, the breed mix is different (the 9 year old silver laced Wyandottes were still producing big brown eggs!)

January 24

One of the Barred Rock hens wasn't in the coop overnight. She died, no evidence of predation though.

No egg production in January.

Jan 4

Bought 50# lay pellets 3# flax seed, 50# scratch $34.84

Total of 3 brown eggs for all of December.

Nights have been cold the past week - below freezing a couple of times. Diurnal cycle was at its low about 2 weeks ago - production should start coming back by end of January.

I'm planning on getting some additional layers this spring, plus some meat birds - delivery around May 4. Get 3 americauna (green), 3 Buff Oprington (brown), 2 red start sex links (dark brown), 2 leghorns (white) and 7 meat birds.

Summer Flock:
Americauna: 1 old, 3 chicks
Barred Rock: 3 2 old
Rhode Island Red: 3 old
Buff Orpington: 3 chicks
Red Star: 2 chicks
Ancona: 1 old
Leghorn: 2 chicks

Cull 2 old Americauna for stew in next 4 months. cull 1 Rhode island red, 1 barred rock for stew late in year (after new brown production starts).

End of year 2015 flock:
4 green (1 old, 3 pullets)
8 brown (3 old, 5 pullets)
3 white (1 old, 2 pullets)

Should be getting 6 - 10 eggs a day from pullets starting in October. The old birds will be going into molt around then. Older birds for stew starting in November - all 5 hens culled in 2016. Replace with 4 brown layers, meat birds, possibly 2 Ancona and 2 Americauna in spring 2016.

November 23

2 brown

There was a single cannibalized brown in previous week. The 3,7,21 day running record doesn't seem worth while given the low production.

November 16

No eggs
W: 0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 1 B, 0 G
7 day: 0 W, 2 B, 0 G
21 day: 1 W, 9 B, 0 G

November 15
1 brown cannibalized

W: 1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1,0,1
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 2 B, 0 G
7 day: 0 W, 2 B, 0 G
21 day: 2 W, 9 B, 0 G

November 14

no eggs
Bought 50# lay pellets, 2# flax seed, 25# scratch $27.36

W: 0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1,0
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 1 B, 0 G
7 day: 0 W, 2 B, 0 G
21 day: 2 W, 9 B, 0 G

Raccoon electrocuted itself trying to get into the coop over night. It was biting the wire when it died.

November 13

1 brown cannibalized
W: 1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 0 B, 0 G
7 day: 0 W, 1 B, 0 G
21 day: 3 W, 11 B, 0 G

Nov 9- 12 no eggs

W: 0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 0 B, 0 G
7 day: 0 W, 1 B, 0 G
21 day: 3 W, 11 B, 0 G

Nov 8
1 brown
W: 0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2,0,0,0,1
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 1 B, 0 G
7 day: 0 W, 4 B, 0 G
21 day: 5 W, 14 B, 0 G

Nov 5-7
no eggs

W: 1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2,0,0,0
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 0 B, 0 G
7 day: 0 W, 3 B, 0 G
21 day: 6 W, 15 B, 0 G

November 4

2 brown
W: 0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0
B: 1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,2
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 3 B, 0 G
7 day: 1 W, 5 B, 0 G
21 day: 7 W, 8 B, 0 G

November 3
no eggs

W: 1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0
B: 1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 1 B, 0 G
7 day: 1 W, 4 B, 0 G
21 day: 8 W, 7 B, 0 G

November 2

1 brown
W: 0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0
B: 1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,1
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 0 W, 2 B, 0 G
7 day: 1 W, 4 B, 0 G
21 day: 8 W, 8 B, 0 G

November 1
no eggs
W: 0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0
B: 0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1,0
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
3 day: 0 W, 2 B, 0 G
7 day: 2 W, 3 B, 0 G
21 day: 8 W, 7 B, 0 G

October 31

1 brown
W: 0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0
B: 1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1,1
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 2 B, 0 G
7 day: 2 W, 4 B, 0 G
21 day: 8 W, 8 B, 0 G

October 30

1 brown
W: 0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0
B: 1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0,1
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 2 B, 0 G
7 day: 3 W, 5 B, 0 G
21 day: 8 W, 8 B, 0 G

October 29

1 white
W: 0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1
B: 1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1,0
G: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 1 B, 0 G
7 day: 3 W, 5 B, 0 G
21 day: 8 W, 8 B, 0 G

October 28

1 brown
W: 0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0
B: 3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0,1
G: 1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 1 B, 0 G
7 day: 3 W, 6 B, 0 G
21 day: 7 W, 11 B, 1 G

October 27 no eggs
W: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0
B: 0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0,0
G: 0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 1 B, 0 G
7 day: 3 W, 6 B, 0 G
21 day: 7 W, 10 B, 1 G

October 26

1 white
W: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1
B: 3,0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1,0
G: 0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 2 W, 3 B, 0 G
7 day: 4 W, 6 B, 0 G
21 day: 7 W, 13 B, 1 G

October 25

1 brown
W: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0
B: 1,3,0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2,1
G: 1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 4 B, 0 G
7 day: 3 W, 7 B, 0 G
21 day: 6 W, 13 B, 2 G

October 24

1 white, 2 brown
W: 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1
B: 2,1,3,0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1,2
G: 0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 2 W, 4 B, 0 G
7 day: 4 W, 8 B, 0 G
21 day: 6 W, 14 B, 2 G

October 23

1 brown
W: 1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0
B: 3,2,1,3,0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1,1
G: 1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 3 B, 0 G
7 day: 3 W, 6 B, 0 G
21 day: 6 W, 15 B, 3 G

October 22

1 white, 1 brown
Bought 50# lay pellets, 2.5 # flax seed $20.22

W: 0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1
B: 1,3,2,1,3,0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1,1
G: 0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 2 W, 2 B, 0 G
7 day: 4 W, 5 B, 0 G
21 day: 6 W, 15 B, 3 G

43 eggs -> $20.22 worth of feed... eggs cost $0.47 each or $5.64 per dozen. However this is during molting season, in summer at high egg production cost is under $2.50/dozen.June 25-July 19, 175 eggs, feed cost $36.23 -> eggs cost $0.207, $2.48 per dozen.

October 21

1 brown
W: 1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0
B: 2,1,3,2,1,3,0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0,1
G: 1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 1 W, 3 B, 0 G
7 day: 3 W, 5 B, 0 G
21 day: 6 W, 16 B, 4 G

October 20

1 white
W: 0,1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,1
B: 1,2,1,3,2,1,3,0,3,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,0,1,2,0
G: 0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

3 day: 2 W, 3 B, 0 G
7 day: 4 W, 5 B, 0 G
21 day: 6 W, 16 B, 4 G