Most chicken farmers know that as winter approaches, egg laying decreases. But there are also other times during the year that we might see a fluctuation in egg production and wonder what is going on? Let’s explore some of the things that can affect a hen’s egg production.
The average egg laying cycle of a hen, from start to finish, takes approximately 25 hours and the average age that hens are the most productive is between 8 months and 2 1/2 years old. During this time of a hen’s life, you can expect 5-7 eggs per week. As a hen gets older, her egg production will continually decrease until she stops laying altogether at the age of 6 years or so. As your hens increase in age and egg production decreases, you might have some difficult decisions to make depending on your chicken farming objectives. Some farmers will cull hens and enjoy them for dinner at the end of their most productive egg laying years. I keep chickens for pleasure and eggs for my family, so as my hens get older, I turn them “out to pasture” knowing that the old girls can still be valuable as bug eaters, surrogate moms, garden helpers, peace keepers, and teachers. The life span of a hen is somewhere between 5 – 8 years depending on the breed. I like to rotate my flock, bringing in a few new birds each year to keep up the egg production, and I usually lose a few birds each year due to old age and natural attrition. So keep in mind that age is a factor in egg production.
The egg laying cycle is triggered by daylight. Approximately 14 hours of light is required to trigger egg production. Mother Nature uses this feature to the advantage of the baby chick, counting on the fact that most chicks will hatch in the spring and have the warmer months to grow and thrive, before the cold winter weather sets in. If you live in the United States and rely on natural lighting for egg production, you can expect egg laying to begin increasing mid-February, peak in May, June and July and then begin to decrease through about mid-October. During November, December and January, when the days are the shortest and generally the coldest, egg production will most likely all but cease. Of course this schedule may vary depending on how far above or below the equator you live, but it’s a good rule of thumb. This off-time, when your hens are not laying, gives their bodies a chance to recover from the arduous labor of egg laying and helps them better withstand the stress of a cold winter. As mentioned earlier, the egg laying process takes approximately 25 hours from start to finish and additional protein and calcium is required in your hen’s diet during this time. Taking a break from egg laying can provide health benefits for your hen in the long run. However, if eggs are your primary reason for raising chickens and you want your hens to lay year round, you can provide artificial lighting to ensure 14 – 16 hours of light per day. Make sure that you add this extra light time at the start of the day. This will give your chickens the opportunity to roost naturally at the end of the day as the sun begins to set.
A chicken’s diet is a major factor in egg-laying. A poor diet will certainly affect not only the health of your birds but also the egg-laying ability of your hens. In order to produce eggs, your hens need a diet of about 16% protein. They also need adequate calcium in their diet for egg shell formation. If a hen lacks calcium in her diet, her egg shells might be soft and break easily. Note as well, that chickens require calcium for strong bones and who wants a chicken with osteoporosis! Make sure that your hen’s diet during egg-laying is calcium rich.
Now, let’s talk about protein for a minute. Not all proteins are the same. As an example, the human body contains over 10,000 different types of protein. Chemically, proteins are composed of amino acids, which are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur. These amino acids are considered the cell’s “building blocks”. Each protein contains the same 22 (some sources say 20) amino acids, but depending on the order these amino acids are linked together, a different protein can be formed, and different proteins achieve different results. One protein that might be good for one animal species, may not necessarily be good for another. For instance, many people tout cat food as a good source of protein for chickens. Cat food protein is formulated for the specific needs of cats, not chickens. Although it probably won’t hurt your chicken, it may not be the best or healthiest option for your birds. Last summer I had a couple of young barn kitties show up on my little farm. Because there was no cat food out for the kittens, I noticed that they would sneak in the chicken run and eat grains with the hens. I had never before seen a cat eat raw grains! Since we had recently lost our barn cat, I decided to keep these little guys around and bought a food that was formulated for growing kittens. When feeding my chickens, I often look to what they would eat in the wild, to what Mother Nature has provided for their health and well-being. A good commercial chicken feed is the basis of what I feed my chickens, but when looking for treats and other feed supplements, I look to the kinds of foods my birds would naturally search for and eat if free-ranging. I am a believer in variety and think that our birds have an innate sense of what is good for them and what is not. Just remember that a hen’s diet can have an impact on her egg-laying.
Stress can be a factor in egg production. Stress can be caused by such things as being picked on in the flock, lack of food or water, parasites, excess heat or cold, and the threat of predators. Even egg-laying, a natural function for chickens, can be stressful. Recognizing when your birds are stressed is important. Some things, like the weather, we can’t control. We can, however, help our chickens combat the effects of stressors. To combat heat stressors, provide shade and plenty of cool water and cool treats. Good ventilation in the run and coop will help as well. For cold weather, check your coop for cold drafts, make sure your birds have plenty of warm bedding, and a good diet as your chickens will convert food to energy for keeping warm. A secure environment that prevents the threat of predators will help your birds feel safe. Making sure your birds have a healthy diet and adequate feed and clean water will help eliminate stressors. Get to know your chickens. Kind of sounds funny, but if you know your birds, their personalities and quirks, you’ll be able to tell fairly easily is something is amiss. Doing your best to eliminate stressors or provide help at the first sign of stress will aide your hens in being more productive egg-layers.
Molting is something that happens to all chickens, roosters included, every single year. At least once a year all chickens will lose their old, worn out feathers and grow new ones. This event usually occurs in the fall, as if in preparation for the cold winter. ‘Refresh their plumage’ so to speak. ‘Put on their new winter coat’. Besides all the loose feathers floating around and goofy looking chickens, you might notice a decrease in your chickens’ egg production. Some chickens will stop laying all together as they go through a molt, other hens will just lay fewer eggs during this time. A molt generally lasts 8 to 12 weeks. Feathers are made up of keratin which is a very strong, lightweight, fibrous protein. Knowing this makes it easier to understand why the dietary focus for chickens needs to switch from calcium to protein during a molt. I switch my hens at the first sign of molting from a layer crumble which contains 16% protein, to a meat-bird crumble which contains 22% protein. I supplement this diet with calcium in the form of crushed egg shells. I have noticed that the increased protein seems to soften the molt for most of my birds. My chickens appear to be happy and healthy! And that’s what I’m looking for. A bonus with the meat-bird feed I use is that it does not contain calcium and is therefore good for other feathered members of my flock who do not require the added calcium: young birds, roosters, non-laying ducks and geese.
The goal in raising chickens is to have healthy, productive birds so that our families can enjoy nutritious, fresh eggs. Knowing your birds and taking simple preventative measures when you notice a decrease in egg production can go a long way in ensuring the health and productivity of your hens.
