Each and every yard hen keeper has skilled it: sooner or later, your hens are laying reliably, and the subsequent, the nesting bins are mysteriously vacant. According to Gail Damerow, renowned poultry skilled and creator of Storey’s Information to Increasing Chickens, this egg-laying pause is usually not a mystery at all. You can find crystal clear, purely natural good reasons hens halt laying, and knowledge them will let you guidance your flock and restore productiveness. Here's Damerow’s prime five reasons hens prevent laying—and what you are able to do about them.
1. Molting: A Natural Pause
As Damerow clarifies, molting can be a yearly party in a very hen’s daily life, usually occurring in late summertime to early drop. During this time, hens eliminate and regrow feathers—a method that needs an amazing volume of Strength and protein. Egg manufacturing normally stops all through this period, given that the hen's entire body focuses solely on feather regeneration.
What You Can Do: Guidance your hens having a significant-protein feed or snacks like mealworms and scrambled eggs. Stay away from stressing the flock and Permit nature get its class. After the molt is finish, egg-laying ought to slowly resume.
two. Shortened Daylight Hours
Light exposure performs a significant role in stimulating a hen’s reproductive program. Damerow factors out that hens have to have 14–16 hours of daylight for regular laying. As daylight decreases in the autumn and Wintertime months, so does egg output.
What You Can Do: Think about including a light-weight supply inside the coop that has a timer to simulate purely natural daylight. A low-wattage bulb turning on within the early morning can safely extend "daylight" and assistance winter laying. Stay clear of sudden lights changes Which may stress your birds.
three. Weak Nourishment
Diet is foundational to egg creation. Damerow warns that feeding chickens a diet regime lacking in protein, calcium, or crucial vitamins can lead to fewer or no eggs. Treats and scratch grains, though enjoyment, can dilute the well balanced diet provided Fun88 Casino by professional layer feed.
What You are able to do: Make certain your flock has continual access to superior-excellent layer feed, cleanse water, and calcium supplements like crushed oyster shell. Restrict treats to no more than ten% of their daily eating plan.
4. Stress and Environmental Factors
Worry is An important contributor to lowered egg production. In keeping with Damerow, stressors can incorporate predator threats, overcrowding, bullying, Intense temperatures, or simply relocating the coop. Hens are delicate to change and will react by halting egg generation.
What You Can Do: Develop a calm, Risk-free atmosphere in your birds. Preserve reliable routines, offer sufficient House, and deal with resources of worry including loud noises or intense flockmates.
five. Age and Health Issues
Damerow reminds us that laying isn't really a lifelong endeavor. Most hens begin laying close to five–six months of age, peak at about one–two many years, then gradually slow down. Sickness, parasites, and reproductive troubles may interfere with laying.
What You Can Do: Keep an eye on your hens’ All round wellbeing. Perform frequent parasite checks, preserve a thoroughly clean coop, and check with a vet when you see indications of health issues. More mature hens should be important users of the flock although their laying days are powering them.
Last Thoughts
As Gail Damerow frequently says, “Chickens don’t just stop laying for no reason.” In case your hens have a crack, it’s their strategy for signaling that anything within their surroundings or biology has shifted. With some observation, great care, plus some endurance, you can assist guide your flock again to nutritious egg generation—or simply appreciate the purely natural rhythms of their life.