Top rated five Explanations Your Hens Stop Laying – Explained by Gail Damerow
Top rated five Explanations Your Hens Stop Laying – Explained by Gail Damerow
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Each and every backyard chicken keeper has expert it: someday, your hens are laying reliably, and the next, the nesting boxes are mysteriously vacant. Based on Gail Damerow, renowned poultry skilled and writer of Storey’s Information to Elevating Chickens, this egg-laying pause is commonly not a secret in the slightest degree. There are distinct, all-natural factors hens quit laying, and comprehending them will help you assistance your flock and restore efficiency. Listed here are Damerow’s top 5 motives hens cease laying—and what you can do about them.
one. Molting: A Organic Pause
As Damerow explains, molting is usually a yearly event inside of a hen’s lifetime, generally happening in late summer months to early slide. Throughout this time, hens reduce and regrow feathers—a course of action that requires a huge level of energy and protein. Egg creation often stops through this period, as being the hen's physique focuses fully on feather regeneration.
What You are able to do: Assistance your hens by using a superior-protein feed or snacks like mealworms and scrambled eggs. Stay away from stressing the flock and Allow character choose its course. Once the molt is full, egg-laying should really gradually resume.
two. Shortened Daylight Several hours
Gentle publicity plays a vital position in stimulating a hen’s reproductive system. Damerow factors out that hens want 14–16 hours of daylight for reliable laying. As daylight decreases in the autumn and winter months, so does egg manufacturing.
What You Can Do: Take into consideration introducing a light source inside the coop by using a timer to simulate pure daylight. A small-wattage bulb turning on in the early morning can safely extend "daylight" and assistance winter laying. Stay away from sudden lighting modifications that might tension your birds.
3. Poor Nourishment
Nourishment is foundational to egg output. Damerow warns that feeding chickens a food plan missing in protein, calcium, or vital Fun88 Casino nutritional vitamins may end up in less or no eggs. Treats and scratch grains, even though exciting, can dilute the balanced nutrition furnished by professional layer feed.
What You are able to do: Assure your flock has regular access to higher-top quality layer feed, clear water, and calcium supplements like crushed oyster shell. Restrict treats to not more than 10% in their day by day diet.
four. Pressure and Environmental Variables
Strain is A serious contributor to reduced egg production. Based on Damerow, stressors can include predator threats, overcrowding, bullying, Serious temperatures, and even going the coop. Hens are sensitive to vary and may respond by halting egg production.
What You are able to do: Create a serene, Secure natural environment to your birds. Manage steady routines, deliver ample Place, and address sources of strain which include loud noises or intense flockmates.
five. Age and Health concerns
Damerow reminds us that laying isn't a lifelong endeavor. Most hens commence laying all around 5–6 months of age, peak at about one–2 a long time, and afterwards step by step slow down. Sickness, parasites, and reproductive issues can also interfere with laying.
What You are able to do: Control your hens’ Total wellbeing. Carry out normal parasite checks, maintain a clean up coop, and consult with a vet when you recognize indications of disease. Older hens should still be valuable customers with the flock even when their laying times are behind them.
Remaining Thoughts
As Gail Damerow generally says, “Chickens don’t just halt laying for no cause.” If your hens take a break, it’s their strategy for signaling that some thing inside their environment or biology has shifted. With a little bit of observation, excellent care, and a few tolerance, you can assist guide your flock back to healthful egg generation—or just take pleasure in the purely natural rhythms in their lives.