Each individual yard hen keeper has skilled it: sooner or later, your hens are laying reliably, and the next, the nesting containers are mysteriously vacant. In accordance with Gail Damerow, renowned poultry expert and author of Storey’s Information to Boosting Chickens, this egg-laying pause is often not a mystery in the least. You'll find apparent, organic motives hens cease laying, and knowledge them can help you help your flock and restore productivity. Here's Damerow’s top rated five causes hens quit laying—and what you are able to do about them.

one. Molting: A Organic Pause
As Damerow explains, molting is a annually function inside a hen’s life, ordinarily transpiring in late summer time to early tumble. Through this time, hens eliminate and regrow feathers—a procedure that needs an amazing number of Power and protein. Egg generation frequently stops through this period, given that the hen's physique focuses completely on feather regeneration.

What You Can Do: Support your hens by using a large-protein feed or snacks like mealworms and scrambled eggs. Prevent stressing the flock and let nature get its study course. As soon as the molt is comprehensive, egg-laying should slowly resume.

two. Shortened Daylight Several hours
Light exposure plays a significant role in stimulating a hen’s reproductive program. Damerow factors 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 are able to do: Take into consideration adding a light source inside the coop by using a timer to simulate purely natural daylight. A low-wattage bulb turning on within the early morning can securely increase "daylight" and assistance winter laying. Steer clear of sudden lighting changes that might stress your birds.

three. Weak Nourishment
Nourishment is foundational to egg generation. Damerow warns that feeding chickens a eating plan lacking in protein, calcium, or crucial nutritional vitamins may lead to much less or no eggs. Treats and scratch grains, whilst enjoyable, can dilute the balanced nutrition provided by commercial Fun88 Casino layer feed.

What You are able to do: Ensure your flock has continuous access to higher-top quality layer feed, clear water, and calcium dietary supplements like crushed oyster shell. Restrict treats to not more than 10% in their day-to-day diet program.

4. Stress and Environmental Things
Worry is A significant contributor to reduced egg production. In keeping with Damerow, stressors can include things like predator threats, overcrowding, bullying, Excessive temperatures, or perhaps going the coop. Hens are sensitive to alter and can react by halting egg generation.

What You are able to do: Produce a quiet, Risk-free environment on your birds. Maintain constant routines, present enough space, and handle resources of worry like loud noises or aggressive flockmates.

five. Age and Health problems
Damerow reminds us that laying is just not a lifelong endeavor. Most hens start laying all-around five–6 months of age, peak at about 1–2 several years, and then progressively decelerate. Health issues, parasites, and reproductive problems could also interfere with laying.

What You Can Do: Keep watch over your hens’ Over-all health. Conduct typical parasite checks, keep a clean up coop, and consult a vet in the event you see signs of health issues. Older hens should still be useful users in the flock even when their laying days are at the rear of them.

Last Thoughts
As Gail Damerow frequently says, “Chickens don’t just halt laying for no reason.” When your hens have a crack, it’s their way of signaling that anything of their atmosphere or biology has shifted. With a little observation, good care, and a few persistence, you may also help guide your flock again to healthy egg creation—or simply enjoy the pure rhythms in their lives.