Every yard hen keeper has experienced it: at some point, your hens are laying reliably, and the following, the nesting containers are mysteriously empty. As outlined by Gail Damerow, renowned poultry qualified and creator of Storey’s Guideline to Boosting Chickens, this egg-laying pause is commonly not a secret in the least. There are actually clear, natural reasons hens stop laying, and understanding them will let you aid your flock and restore productiveness. Here's Damerow’s prime five reasons hens prevent laying—and what you can do about them.
1. Molting: A Purely natural Pause
As Damerow points out, molting is actually a annually celebration within a hen’s lifestyle, typically transpiring in late summer season to early fall. Through this time, hens drop and regrow feathers—a procedure that needs a tremendous degree of Strength and protein. Egg production generally stops throughout this era, as the hen's overall body focuses entirely on feather regeneration.
What You Can Do: Aid your hens by using a superior-protein feed or snacks like mealworms and scrambled eggs. Keep away from stressing the flock and Enable nature just take its course. After the molt is finish, egg-laying ought to slowly resume.
two. Shortened Daylight Several hours
Light exposure plays an important job in stimulating a hen’s reproductive program. Damerow factors out that hens have to have fourteen–16 hours of daylight for steady laying. As daylight decreases in the fall and Winter season months, so does egg output.
What You are able to do: Think about including a light-weight supply while in the coop which has a timer to simulate natural daylight. A reduced-wattage bulb turning on inside the early morning can securely lengthen "daylight" and help Winter season laying. Stay away from sudden lighting modifications that might tension your birds.
3. Poor Nourishment
Nourishment is foundational to egg generation. Damerow warns that feeding chickens a food plan missing in protein, calcium, or vital nutritional vitamins may end up in fewer or no eggs. Treats and scratch grains, while fun, can dilute the well balanced diet provided by commercial layer feed.
What You are able to do: Assure your flock has consistent entry to higher-quality layer feed, clean h2o, Fun88 Casino and calcium nutritional supplements like crushed oyster shell. Restrict treats to no more than 10% of their daily diet plan.
four. Strain and Environmental Variables
Strain is a major contributor to diminished egg manufacturing. According to Damerow, stressors can include things like predator threats, overcrowding, bullying, Severe temperatures, or even transferring the coop. Hens are sensitive to vary and may respond by halting egg creation.
What You are able to do: Produce a quiet, Protected environment in your birds. Preserve reliable routines, offer sufficient House, and deal with resources of stress including loud noises or intense flockmates.
five. Age and Health problems
Damerow reminds us that laying is just not a lifelong endeavor. Most hens start laying all around five–six months of age, peak at about 1–2 a long time, after which you can progressively slow down. Ailment, parasites, and reproductive problems may also interfere with laying.
What You are able to do: Control your hens’ Total health and fitness. Perform regular parasite checks, preserve a clear coop, and talk to a vet if you discover signs of illness. Older hens may still be beneficial members from the flock even though their laying days are powering them.
Last Thoughts
As Gail Damerow frequently says, “Chickens don’t just quit laying for no purpose.” In case your hens take a crack, it’s their strategy for signaling that a thing inside their natural environment or biology has shifted. With a little observation, very good care, and some tolerance, you may also help tutorial your flock back again to healthful egg production—or just recognize the organic rhythms of their life.