Every single backyard hen keeper has professional it: someday, your hens are laying reliably, and the next, the nesting containers are mysteriously vacant. According to Gail Damerow, renowned poultry specialist and writer of Storey’s Guideline to Raising Chickens, this egg-laying pause is usually not a thriller at all. You'll find obvious, purely natural explanations hens stop laying, and comprehending them can assist you guidance your flock and restore efficiency. Listed here are Damerow’s leading five good reasons hens halt laying—and what you can do about them.
1. Molting: A Organic Pause
As Damerow describes, molting can be a annually function in the hen’s lifetime, typically occurring in late summer to early slide. All through this time, hens lose and regrow feathers—a system that needs an incredible level of Vitality and protein. Egg manufacturing frequently stops all through this period, given that the hen's entire body focuses entirely on feather regeneration.
What You Can Do: Assist your hens that has a high-protein feed or snacks like mealworms and scrambled eggs. Prevent stressing the flock and let nature just take its class. After the molt is entire, egg-laying must gradually resume.
2. Shortened Daylight Several hours
Light publicity performs a significant part in stimulating a hen’s reproductive procedure. Damerow details out that hens need 14–sixteen hrs of daylight for dependable laying. As daylight decreases in the autumn and Winter season months, so does egg generation.
What You are able to do: Consider adding a lightweight resource during the coop which has a timer to simulate natural daylight. A low-wattage bulb turning on in the early early morning can safely increase "daylight" and guidance Winter season laying. Steer clear of unexpected lighting changes That may tension your birds.
three. Bad Nourishment
Nutrition is foundational to egg generation. Damerow warns that feeding chickens a diet regime missing in protein, calcium, or crucial natural vitamins may end up in much less or no eggs. Treats and scratch grains, although fun, can dilute the balanced diet supplied by professional layer feed.
What You are able to do: Make certain your flock has regular access to substantial-high-quality layer feed, thoroughly clean water, and calcium health supplements like crushed oyster shell. Limit treats to no more than 10% of their every day diet regime.
4. Pressure and Environmental Components
Worry is An important contributor to diminished egg generation. In keeping with Damerow, stressors can include predator threats, overcrowding, bullying, extreme temperatures, or simply going the coop. Hens are sensitive to vary and may respond by halting egg generation.
What You Can Do: Make a tranquil, Protected atmosphere for your birds. Retain steady routines, deliver ample House, and deal with resources of stress for instance loud noises or intense flockmates.
5. Age and Medical issues
Damerow reminds us that laying isn't a lifelong endeavor. Most hens get started laying around 5–6 months of age, peak at about 1–2 a long time, after which you can steadily slow down. Disease, parasites, and reproductive difficulties can also interfere with laying.
What You Can Do: Keep an eye on your hens’ All round overall health. Carry out common parasite checks, retain a clean up coop, and consult a vet if you see indications of sickness. More mature hens should still be useful members of your flock although their laying days are behind them.
Closing Ideas
As Gail Damerow often claims, “Chickens don’t just quit laying for no rationale.” If the hens take a split, it’s their technique for Fun88 Casino signaling that anything of their setting or biology has shifted. With a little bit of observation, fantastic treatment, and a few endurance, you can help information your flock again to healthy egg creation—or simply recognize the purely natural rhythms in their life.