Major five Reasons Your Hens Stop Laying, Explained by Gail Damerow
Major five Reasons Your Hens Stop Laying, Explained by Gail Damerow
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If the hens have abruptly stopped laying eggs, you are not by yourself—and there’s typically a very good reason behind it. Based on Gail Damerow, respected poultry professional and creator of your Hen Wellbeing Handbook and Storey’s Tutorial to Increasing Chickens, egg-laying is a complex process affected by a range of environmental, Organic, and nutritional elements. Listed below are the top 5 motives your hens might stop laying, as explained by Damerow, coupled with functional ideas to assist your flock get again on course.
one. Molting Period
Molting is usually a normal procedure wherever chickens shed outdated feathers and grow new ones. Damerow emphasizes that molting commonly occurs annually, usually in late summer season or tumble, and it needs an amazing quantity of Electricity. Throughout this time, hens generally pause egg production to conserve nutrients for feather regrowth.
How to proceed: Wait and see and supply added protein (for instance mealworms or higher-protein feed) to assist the molting system. As soon as your hens are completed molting, egg generation should really resume.
2. Reduced Daylight
Chickens are hugely conscious of light-weight. Based on Damerow, hens need at least fourteen to 16 hrs of daylight to sustain regular laying. As daylight several hours shorten in slide and winter, hens Normally decrease or stop laying entirely.
What to do: You could health supplement with artificial lights within the coop during the darker months. Make use of a very low-watt bulb on a timer to simulate an extended working day, but keep away from extreme lighting, which may tension the birds.
3. Weak Nourishment
Eating plan is Among the most forgotten motives for lowered egg output. Damerow warns that even compact imbalances in a hen’s diet plan—like as well tiny calcium, protein, or essential nutritional vitamins—can cause a apparent drop in laying.
What to do: Make sure your hens have access to an entire layer feed, coupled with clean up drinking water, oyster shells for calcium, and occasional clean greens or kitchen scraps. Steer clear of overfeeding treats or scratch grains, which dilute the nutritional benefit of their diet plan.
four. Anxiety and Environmental Modifications
Stress contains a direct influence on a hen’s reproductive cycle. Damerow notes that unexpected alterations—for instance a predator attack, new flock associates, coop relocation, or Excessive weather—can result in hens to halt laying.
What to do: Limit disruptions and maintain a peaceful, dependable surroundings. Give new birds time and energy to integrate little by little, and supply plenty of Area, perches, and nest bins to lower Opposition and stress.
five. Age and Health concerns
As hens age, their egg production In a natural way declines. Damerow points out that Nhà Cái Fun88 the majority of hens reach peak laying close to 18 to 24 months and slowly taper off through the years. Ailment, parasites, or fundamental medical issues may interfere with laying.
How to proceed: Observe more mature hens for indications of ailment, and look at common health and fitness checks. Though more mature hens might not lay as typically, they even now lead to flock dynamics and may Reside happy, healthy life.
Closing Ideas
As Gail Damerow properly advises, egg-laying isn't pretty much biology—it’s about equilibrium. Whenever your hens cease laying, it’s generally their way of telling you something’s off. With notice to lights, nutrition, and care, you might help your flock prosper and keep Those people egg baskets entire.