Top 5 Factors Your Hens Quit Laying – Defined by Gail Damerow
Top 5 Factors Your Hens Quit Laying – Defined by Gail Damerow
Blog Article
Each backyard chicken keeper has seasoned 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 usually not a mystery in any respect. You'll find crystal clear, pure motives hens end laying, and comprehension them can assist you help your flock and restore productivity. 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 annually occasion in a hen’s lifetime, generally occurring in late summer months to early drop. Throughout this time, hens reduce and regrow feathers—a approach that requires a huge amount of Electricity and protein. Egg manufacturing normally stops for the duration of this era, since the hen's body focuses totally on feather regeneration.
What You are able to do: Assistance your hens that has a higher-protein feed or snacks like mealworms and scrambled eggs. Stay clear of stressing the flock and let character choose its training course. When the molt is complete, egg-laying need to step by step resume.
2. Shortened Daylight Hours
Mild publicity performs a significant function in stimulating a hen’s reproductive technique. Damerow details 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 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 stress your birds.
three. Poor Nourishment
Nourishment is foundational to egg generation. Damerow warns that feeding chickens a eating plan 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 by professional layer feed.
What You are able to do: Make certain your flock has continuous access to superior-excellent layer feed, clear water, and calcium nutritional supplements like crushed oyster shell. Restrict treats to no more than Fun88 Casino ten% of their day by day eating plan.
4. Worry and Environmental Components
Anxiety is An important contributor to diminished egg manufacturing. According to Damerow, stressors can include things like predator threats, overcrowding, bullying, Severe temperatures, or even relocating the coop. Hens are delicate to alter and will react by halting egg generation.
What You Can Do: Develop a quiet, Risk-free environment in your birds. Preserve reliable routines, provide sufficient Place, and address sources of strain like loud noises or aggressive flockmates.
five. Age and Health concerns
Damerow reminds us that laying is not a lifelong endeavor. Most hens start off laying around 5–6 months of age, peak at about 1–two decades, and after that slowly decelerate. Health issues, parasites, and reproductive problems could also interfere with laying.
What You are able to do: Regulate your hens’ overall well being. Carry out standard parasite checks, retain a clean up coop, and seek the advice of a vet should you observe signs of disease. Older hens should still be useful associates on the flock whether or not their laying times are driving them.
Ultimate Ideas
As Gail Damerow usually states, “Chickens don’t just cease laying for no cause.” Should your hens take a crack, it’s their technique for signaling that a little something inside their natural environment or biology has shifted. With a little observation, very good care, and some tolerance, you may help tutorial your flock back again to wholesome egg production—or just recognize the organic rhythms in their lives.