Chickens are often kept in poultry farming to produce eggs. Experienced poultry farmers will help you figure out why laying hens don’t lay eggs and what to do to effectively maintain a flock.

Physiology and age of egg production for different breeds of chickens

Have you purchased outbred chickens bred by a neighbor's hen or an incubator? These are ordinary domestic chickens with an average egg production of about 200 eggs when kept warm all year round. The egg production of laying hens per year depends on the type of breed:

• , Hisex white, Leghorn, Loman Brown give 300 eggs or more;
• meat-egg layers and outbred hens will produce about 200 pieces;
• meat broiler breeds do not reach 130 eggs per year.

Accordingly, the productive age of young animals will be 18, 26 weeks, 7-8 months. The average weight of an egg is 55-65 g, but in hot weather and in young animals the product is lighter. How many eggs does a laying hen lay per day? No more than one, and not every day. The most productive Heinlein breed carries a maximum of 350 eggs when kept in ideal conditions.

An indicator was recorded when a laying hen gave 371 eggs in a year. A large double egg is often found. The specimen with 9 yolks became unique.

When do laying hens lay eggs? Chickens are most productive in the first year of life, slightly worse in the second year. Therefore, the herd systematically needs renewal. For meat they take two-year-olds and cull young animals. Later the meat becomes tough. Chickens lay eggs up to 4 years old, but less and less often. Old ladies make caring hens.

The productivity of the chicken flock inevitably decreases in winter. Physiologically, this is the worst time to breed offspring. Balanced feed and sufficient lighting will only slightly increase the egg production of laying hens. During molting, you need to speed up the process of growing new feathers by eliminating grain from the diet. The plumage will be renewed faster, and the chickens will begin to lay eggs.

Correct feeding and maintenance of laying hens

Chickens don't like cramped spaces. There should be 5 individuals per square meter. To hatch chickens, fertilized eggs are needed; a rooster under the age of 4 years copes with the duties of 10 laying hens. The productivity of the flock does not depend on the presence of a rooster.

A temperature of 22-25 degrees is comfortable for chickens. During the hot season, the chicken coop needs to be shaded and a canopy installed on the run. In winter, there should be sufficient, but not blinding, light in the chicken coop for 14-16 hours. Winter walking, baths with ash and sand for bathing will add comfort to the keeping of livestock. If the question arises why laying hens do not lay eggs and what to do, you need to check the living conditions.

It is necessary to review the feeding menu and make adjustments. The daily diet should consist of:

• grain mixture of 40% corn, 20% wheat, 20% barley, 30% oats – 120 grams;
• boiled potatoes – 100 g;
• mash – 30 g;
• chalk – 3 g;
• cake – 7 g;
• baker's yeast – 1 g;
• bone meal – 2 g;
• table salt – 0.5 g.

The dry composition can be maintained by feeding, but it is necessary to give grain separately at one of the feedings.

In the summer, a mash with bran and chopped herbs will provide the livestock with vitamins for laying hens for egg production. At other times, premixes must be used.

Feed adult birds twice a day, leaving dry food for the evening an hour before bedtime. In the morning, various mashes are useful. If you overfeed, the chickens will become fat, and the problem will arise as to why the chickens stopped laying eggs. The same question will arise if there is not enough food. During the day, birds peck and actively process food if they have enough gravel or shells in a separate feeder. Stones, like millstones, grind food. Water should be plentiful and always fresh. Good nutritional absorption is facilitated by the absence of stressful situations.

In order for laying hens to eat and lay a lot, they need good nutrition consisting of grain, special vitamins, and herbs. The more variety you feed them, the more benefits. A sign of prosperity will be the birds swimming and fluttering in the pen when they are not guarding the distribution of food.

Why do laying hens not lay eggs after purchasing adults?

Often, households buy adult birds in the summer in order to immediately receive eggs. If they are sold by the wheel, the birds may have been rejected by the farm as unproductive. Such individuals can shed, and you can tell by their legs that they are no longer young. Then the productive period, with good care, will resume in 2-3 weeks, but you can’t expect abundant laying.

A stressful situation, when a flock is kept from hand to mouth in a pen, waiting for a buyer, and then driven in to catch it, will not increase egg production. In this case, why the laying hens do not lay eggs and what to do is clear. You need to be patient and provide adequate care. The birds will thank you for your care.

It is better to buy young animals to obtain fresh eggs. If the chickens are egg-laying, then after 18 weeks you can expect the first small eggs. A sign of a mature hen will be the neat appearance of the pullet and a pink, developed comb. If the comb is red, the hen is already productive.

If the chicks were raised from day old chicks at home, the breed is unknown. This is why young laying hens may not lay eggs because they have not reached biological age. You need to wait.

Errors in maintenance affecting the productivity of laying hens

The number of nests and their arrangement affect productivity. arranged in places where no one disturbs the chicken during an important mission. The litter should be clean and soft. One nest is made for 6 individuals. If the place for laying is unfavorable, the eggs will be scattered, and it won’t be long before they peck. Is it dangerous. If the chicken has tasted the contents, she will hunt for tasty food. Therefore, it is impossible to allow the appearance of eggs without shells or pouring. Productivity decreases, and in the future there will be a threat of pecking. It is necessary to add mineral fertilizer.

Why did laying hens stop laying eggs if they were well cared for? Perhaps, while free-ranging, the cunning creatures organized a new nest in a secluded corner. After a while, a hen will sit on it and a flock of unplanned chicks will appear. Daily egg collection and careful inspection of the area will eliminate the problem.

Often, pullets that have begun to lay eggs stop laying. They are more affected by a stressful situation than adult chickens. Moving to another chicken coop, the appearance of a rooster, a night thunderstorm with thunder cause the absence of eggs. Adding 20 ml of apple cider vinegar to water per day for a week will help.

When pullets moult in the fall, the productivity of laying hens decreases sharply. It is necessary to exclude grains from the diet and new feathers will grow faster and egg laying will be restored. After fouling, feed the cereals to the birds along with the seedlings to restore productivity. These chickens need to be fed 3-4 times a day.

To prevent birds from contracting infectious diseases, it is necessary to be vaccinated against diseases that are common among birds in the region. When free-ranging, you can infect a flock from wild pigeons or crows.

When choosing a laying hen for the household, you need to take a light individual, weighing 1.5 kg. Feathers should be shiny and dense. The chicken's comb is bright red.

Proper feeding of chickens for increased egg production - video

In households, chickens are most often bred to produce eggs, but it happens that laying hens do not lay eggs. To find out why this happens, you need to understand the peculiarities of keeping egg-laying chickens.

When do pullets start laying eggs?

Pullets are hens in their first year of life. They differ from adult birds by having a pale pink comb. At what age egg laying begins depends on the breed.

Pullets of egg breeds begin to lay eggs at 4–5 months. Mixed chickens, meat - egg breeds, produce eggs at 5 - 6 months. You will have to wait the longest for eggs from meat chickens. They begin to lay eggs only at 7–8 months, so keeping such birds to obtain eggs is not advisable.

The conditions for keeping chickens at home are also of great importance. The important indicators here are:

• spacious chicken coop;
• providing a place for walking;
• quantity and quality of feed;
• proper care of chickens.

The weight of the chicken by the time it starts laying eggs should be on average 1.5 kg. If pullets start laying eggs too early, this will have a negative impact on their health.

The first eggs are usually small and weigh about 45 grams. But they reach standard sizes quite quickly. Therefore, they purchase chickens with some difference in age in order to obtain fresh large eggs systematically.

Why laying hens don’t lay eggs: the main reasons

Under favorable conditions, you can get up to 300 eggs per year. With the onset of autumn, the decrease in the number of eggs is affected by low air temperatures and short daylight hours. It happens that egg production decreases sharply in the spring and summer. There are several main reasons for this problem.

Eating problems

If the feed does not contain enough fat and carbohydrates, the hen will not have enough energy reserves to lay eggs at full strength. The diet of laying hens should include grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Corn grain is rich in carbohydrates; it is pre-ground. It is useful to add legumes, flax and sunflower seeds. About 20% of the daily requirement comes from greens and root vegetables. Drinking water must be given along with the food. Diet is also important. Feeding should occur twice a day, after waking up in the morning and after 8-10 hours.

Lack of vitamins

A deficiency of vitamins A, D and folic acid leads to a decrease in egg production. It is necessary to introduce components such as dandelion greens, spinach, asparagus, and peas into the birds’ diet. Vitamin D is synthesized under sunlight; its deficiency can be compensated by adding hay flour and ultraviolet-irradiated yeast. It is better not to use artificial vitamins for laying hens. Their overdose can lead to the death of birds.

Diseases

Chickens molt

Before the onset of winter cold, chickens begin the process of natural feather replacement. For different breeds, the duration of this period can range from 2 weeks to a month. The feathers change to denser and thicker ones. During the period when chickens molt, you can exclude grain from the diet and increase the number of feedings per day to 3-4 times.

Errors in containment conditions

The main problem may be limited space. Chickens don't like cramped spaces. The chicken coop must have a perch and a sufficient number of nests. They are done in quiet, secluded places. In hot weather, it is necessary to equip a canopy on the walking area. In winter, the chicken coop should be provided with additional lighting.

How to raise laying hens (video)

What to do if chickens stop laying eggs

If there is no or a sharp decrease in the number of eggs per day, it is necessary to observe the laying hens and analyze the changes that have occurred to find out the reason.

• First of all, you should review the diet and determine how much feed laying hens consume. To provide birds with all the necessary nutrients, it is better to use special feed. It is equally bad to underfeed and overfeed birds. Obesity can also be a reason for lack of eggs. One chicken needs approximately 150 grams of feed per day. You can increase the number of feedings up to 3 – 4 times.
• You should give grain in the morning and evening, and during the day prepare a wet mash of water, crushed cereals, and salt. You can add dairy products. The mass should not be sticky. If the chickens have not eaten all the mash in one meal, the feeders should be cleaned and remove all residues. This perishable product can cause mold and poisoning.
• If laying hens begin to shed, meat and bone meal, fish and other products containing protein in large quantities should be added to the feed. Mineral supplements are mandatory during this period. You can add shells, chalk, river sand. This will make up for the lack of calcium, in which chickens can eat their own eggs.

• It is necessary to ensure the most comfortable temperature in the chicken coop; it is 18 – 20°C. To control, you should install a thermometer. In summer you can ventilate more often, in winter you can add additional insulation. The thickness of dry straw and sawdust should be at least 40 cm. It is better to make the door not too wide; you can cover it with a tarpaulin or blanket. Lighting should be maintained 14 - 16 hours a day.
• The reason for the decrease in egg production may be crowding and a large number of roosters in the flock. No more than 4 to 5 birds can be kept on one square meter at a time. One rooster is enough for 10 hens. A rooster is needed only to fertilize eggs if you plan to hatch chickens. It does not participate in the process of egg formation.
• The chicken coop should be checked for rodents. Mice and rats often not only spread dangerous diseases, but also take eggs from the nest. To repel pests, the area around the building and the floor inside are sprinkled with wood ash. It sticks to the rodents' paws and enters the stomach, causing discomfort. You can use repellent devices. It is not recommended to place pesticides in the chicken coop. Birds and other domestic animals can be poisoned by them.

• Young laying hens can be very shy. The sound of thunder, the sound of rain, or moving to another chicken coop can affect their egg production. In such cases, adding 20 ml of apple cider vinegar to food daily for one week has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
• It must be taken into account that chickens lay eggs for procreation. Perhaps the hen began to prepare to hatch chicks, so she changed the laying place to a more secluded one. If the development of this process is undesirable, the chicken is placed away from the nests. Over time, the hormonal levels are restored, and the bird begins to lay eggs as usual.
• Once a year, the chicken coop must be replenished with new layers.. After reaching the age of 2 years, egg production in birds begins to decrease by 15 - 20% per year. It is not advisable to keep grown hens; they are sent for meat, and hatching eggs or chicks are purchased to renew the flock.

How to increase egg production

Among the egg-bearing breeds, the most productive are:

• Leghorn;
• White Russian;
• Loman Brown;
• Hisex;
• Minorca.

These are capable of laying 250 – 300 eggs per year. The highest figure is 371 eggs.

To increase egg production of laying hens You must follow a few simple rules:

1. Balanced diet. When choosing food, you should pay attention to the composition, quality, and expiration date. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and salts must be present in sufficient quantities.
2. Feeding regimen. It is necessary to maintain regularity and uniformity of nutrition. With constant feeding at the same time, the chickens get used to a certain schedule and wait at the feeders at the set time. The evening meal should take place an hour before sitting on the roost.
3. Temperature and lighting. Chickens lay more eggs in the warm season, with long daylight hours. If the air temperature drops and intense lighting is less than 14 hours a day, egg production decreases reflexively. Additional supplies at any time of the day will help you deceive nature.
4. Livestock renewal young laying hens every year.

What to feed laying hens in winter (video)

Raising chickens and obtaining selected egg products from them is a profitable business for yourself. But often farmers are faced with a situation where birds do not lay eggs well or completely stop producing eggs. If this phenomenon is temporary, then there is no need to sound the alarm. In other cases, you need to find out the reasons and try to eliminate them as quickly as possible. Why don't chickens lay eggs? This is what our article is about today.

When forming a flock of laying hens, the owner can acquire modern crosses or prefer unpretentious breeds of poultry with a lower degree of productivity. Conventional breeds are somewhat inferior in comparison with crosses because they consume more feed, breed later, have an egg production rate of no more than 80%, and each hen produces 150–220 eggs annually.

Experts primarily attribute errors in the daily nutritional diet, violation of living conditions, and various diseases affecting the bird as the reasons why any hens have stopped producing eggs. This is followed by the level of light, stress, molting period, temperature fluctuations, brooding instinct, age of the hen, predators and the desire to lay eggs in secret places. Let's look at all the reasons in more detail.

Diet

Poor nutrition can be a compelling reason for a hen to stop producing eggs. The standards for laying hens stipulate the following conditions: a sufficient amount of feed for each head in the herd, a feeding front (so that hens do not compete for feed), good quality food (feeding rotten or old feed is unacceptable), and a protein content of at least 15%.

The feed should include carbohydrates and fats that provide the poultry with enough energy to provide the owner with choice eggs. If any of the conditions are violated, problems arise. The first feeding should not be done later than the lights in the house are turned on in the morning. The second - approximately 8 - 10 hours after the first or 6 hours before bedtime. A drop in productivity is also noted due to lack of fluid.

Conditions of detention

To obtain eggs regularly, it is important to create a normal light regime in the chicken coop. So that the length of the day is from 10 to 12 hours. Otherwise, birds sit a lot, and inactivity negatively affects productivity. Laying hens also need a temperature above 15 degrees Celsius. In this case, they will not waste energy on heating the body, but will direct it to the production of eggs. You should also take care of the correct ventilation system. But drafts should not be allowed in the poultry house. Maintaining cleanliness also has a positive effect on the continued production of quality eggs from chickens.

Diseases

Perhaps the reasons why the chicken stopped laying eggs lie in infectious or non-infectious diseases. Usually, after treatment, chickens recover up to 80% of their original egg production. For example, infectious bronchitis tends to affect the production organs of laying hens at a young age. Further, the disease takes a chronic form. As a result, many birds cannot lay eggs because they develop pathological changes in the ovaries and oviducts.

In industrial farms, the number of such individuals can reach up to 50% of the entire herd. Non-contagious diseases - peritonitis, ovarianitis, salpingitis - are inflammatory processes that accumulate in the oviducts and ovaries, causing a decrease in productivity or cessation of egg laying. Non-contagious diseases are characterized by either outbreaks or attenuation. Experts believe that the reasons for the appearance are injuries, vitamin deficiency, and unsanitary conditions in the poultry house. Eating moldy food can also cause inflammation.

Other reasons

Other factors why chickens suddenly stopped producing eggs include a violation of the light regime. In nature, birds lay them in the spring and mid-summer, as they lay eggs for reproduction. Most breeds require 14 to 16 hours of daylight when kept indoors, which is not easy to achieve. It is customary to use electric lamps or combine them with daylight. Do not create overly bright lighting.

Stress - lack of food or liquid, moving to a new chicken coop, the appearance of a rooster among the hens - can discourage birds from wanting to lay eggs.

New birds should be purchased so that they begin producing eggs again after 6 weeks. Apple cider vinegar will help your pets cope with stress. It is required to add 20 ml per 1 liter of water every month for at least 1 week.

Molting is a natural process for chickens that usually occurs in the fall. Seasonal molting starts from the 2nd year of life of laying hens. The formation of new plumage requires energy expenditure, so chicken productivity decreases or disappears. Molting lasts from 6 to 8 weeks. At this time, feed containing sulfur should be introduced into the diet - cabbage, peas, clover, alfalfa, meat and bone meal. Experienced poultry farmers advise eliminating grain when molting begins. With the appearance of new plumage, the chickens are again fed abundantly, adding wheat and sprouted oats, and sunflower seeds.

High or too low temperatures also have a bad effect on egg production. In winter it should not be less than 13 degrees Celsius. In summer, birds require a lot of water and shaded shelters in the walking area. On the hottest days, it is recommended to give, for example, watermelon, and put a fan in the chicken coop. The hormonal background of a bird changes during incubation, so egg laying may stop. To return the hen to laying eggs, you need to put her in a cage with a slatted bottom, where there is no bedding. She is hung so that the hen can see the others. Oviposition usually resumes after a couple of days. The age of the bird also affects egg laying. She begins to lay eggs at 6 months.

The most productive year is 1 year. Further, the degree of productivity decreases annually by 15–20%. By the age of 5, the hen lays no more than half the number of eggs that she laid in the first couple of years. The readiness of the young individual to begin oviposition is indicated by the bright red color of its comb.

A simple test is to turn the bird onto its back and run your fingers from the breast bone down the belly. If you can actually fit a finger between the felt pubic bones, this is a sure sign that after 4 weeks the bird will begin laying its first eggs. Significant damage is caused to egg products by uninvited guests - ferrets, mice, rats who steal. If you stop finding eggs, make sure there are no pests in the coop. Sometimes birds may lay eggs outside the coop or in places other than the nest box. Fake eggs or tennis balls will make the box more attractive for laying hens.

Solution methods

It is clear what to do if vitamin deficiency or mineral deficiency is confirmed in poultry. It is necessary to review the daily nutritional diet and purchase special supplements. Vegetables and greens should be important components of feeding. When stressed, birds need time to adapt to the new proposed conditions.

Feeding with vitamins and herbs will not hurt either. The hens usually get used to the new member of the flock after a week. The optimal temperature in the poultry house should be maintained - within 15 - 23 degrees. In winter, the room needs to be insulated or think about a heating system.

In summer, birds should consume plenty of fluids and walk in the shade. To identify the causes of decreased productivity or its complete absence, it is better to consult a veterinarian.

Video “Do-it-yourself feed for laying hens”

The video tells and shows how to prepare feed for laying hens; what to feed chickens so that they lay eggs well.

A decrease or absence of egg production in chickens is a real blow for a poultry farmer, especially if he is breeding birds in order to earn money from selling eggs. Most often, new poultry farmers ask themselves: why did the chickens stop laying eggs?? The experience of professionals will help to reveal the reasons for this fact.

Lack of egg production in chickens: common reasons

In many cases, breeding laying hens is the most important part of a farm aimed at providing one’s family with fresh eggs or making a profit from their sale. Therefore, the decline in their reproductive characteristics poses an economic threat to the poultry farmer. To quickly fix this problem, you need to know why the chickens stopped laying eggs.

In most cases this problem appears due to aging chicken. Individuals older than 1 year reduce their egg production to a minimum during seasonal molting. Some adults after molting turn into false layers completely abandoning reproductive function. Recognize it can be done by feeling the distance between the ischial bones, which will be less than 2 fingers wide.

Among the rest bird failure factors from carrying are distinguished:

1. failure to comply with optimal conditions of detention;
2. unbalanced diet;
3. various diseases;
4. suffered stress, for example, after changing the chicken coop, feed.

Pullet hens do not lay eggs: reasons

In egg-breed pullets reproductive function begins at 18 weeks of age. A lack of egg production in pullets that have reached this age may be due to improperly selected food, a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, as well as cramped living conditions.

Sometimes young hens simply lay eggs in other places, creating an illusion its unprofitability for the economy. Most often this happens in the far, dark corners of the chicken coop, inaccessible to visual observation. To develop the reflex of laying eggs in nests, egg dummies must be placed in nest boxes.

Reasons for the lack of winter egg production

With the onset of cold weather, many poultry farmers begin to be tormented by the question: why did chickens stop laying eggs in winter? It is worth considering that decreased reproductive function in the winter season - a normal process for laying hens. This is due to several factors.

1. Significant reduction in daylight hours.
2. Decrease in ambient temperature.
3. Vitamin deficiency.
4. Increasing air humidity in the chicken coop.
5. Reduced lifestyle activity, which can lead to obesity.

Deal with the problem absent or low egg production in winter Can, equipping the poultry house with artificial lighting, heating, and ventilation. In addition, for the winter season you need to select a balanced feed that contains minerals and vitamins. Also in winter it is necessary to organize a short walk for birds, lasting no more than an hour at a temperature not lower than -10 degrees. If the birds refuse to leave the chicken coop, it needs to be ventilated. By following all these recommendations, the poultry farmer will not have to wonder why the chickens stopped laying eggs in the winter.

Eliminating the causes of lack of egg production

If chickens refuse to give eggs, they need to be provided with optimal living conditions, choose the right food, and also provide good care. The following will help recommendations:

• Laying hens need to maintain daylight hours within 14-16 hours;
• the temperature in the chicken coop should be within 15-16 degrees, when kept in cages - 15-19 degrees;
• there should be no drafts in the poultry house, and the walls, floor and roof must be insulated;
• in winter, it is necessary to dry nettles so that birds can obtain from it the vitamins necessary for laying eggs;
• Minerals should be added to the diet, special attention should be paid to calcium;
• feeding should be provided twice a day, about 15% of the feed should be protein food;
• the humidity in the poultry house should be between 50-70%;
• Laying hens need to be regularly examined to identify various diseases.

Compliance with all of the above recommendations will not make it possible to reduce or stop the process of laying eggs by hens. Therefore, when the question arises: why did the chickens stop laying eggs, the first step is to evaluate the conditions of their keeping, as well as the state of health of the birds.

Many people do business by breeding various breeds to obtain a dietary product. And if the chickens stop laying eggs, this will cause great damage to the farm.

Causes of impaired productivity

The main reasons for impaired productivity:

The appearance of the first egg and the stability in obtaining them is the main factor for the farmer. Therefore, it is necessary to study all the main reasons why chickens stopped laying eggs.

Stress

Stress has a negative effect on egg production. The chickens are starting to lay eggs poorly. Stress can include moving to a different house, climate change, lack of water or feed, or the arrival of a new rooster.

Therefore, after purchasing birds, it is important to wait 4-6 weeks. During this time, the stress of moving will pass and everything will get better.

It is more profitable to buy birds in May-June. Then there will be no sudden change in temperature and moving will not cause stress.

Food and diet

For 1 egg, young individuals spend 10% of calcium from their body. Therefore, its internal reserves quickly run out and there is a need to replenish them.

It is an insufficient amount of this substance that can affect the productivity of laying hens.

It is better to feed birds up to 4 times a day. Give grain in the morning, and in the evening a wet mixture based on milk or whey, with the addition of nettle, woodlice, dandelions, sunflower oil and silage.

Shedding

Molting occurs once a year and begins during the autumn cold snap. Young and old individuals gradually lose their feathers and a new cover is formed, the plumage becomes denser and more magnificent.

Ticks and bedbugs are carried by large rodents: mice or rats, from which they fall onto the bedding of birds and then directly infect the flock.

Sometimes infection with viruses or bacteria occurs, after which infectious diseases arise, causing poor egg production. Such diseases include:

• coccidosis;
• bird flu;
• smallpox;
• salmonellosis;
• staphylococcus;
• and etc.

Temperature

Temperature is of no small importance for the productivity of laying hens. In winter, the temperature in the poultry house should not fall below 13°C, and in summer it should not rise above 27°C.

Otherwise, the hens become lethargic, lose their appetite, lose weight and do not lay eggs.

Hatching instinct

Not all chickens have maternal instinct in the form necessary for breeding.

If incubation lasts all day, then this is undesirable for obtaining good eggs. This process can and should be interrupted.

To do this, the cage is made with a lattice bottom. Do not put bedding in it so that the chicken will not be comfortable hatching. Birds lay eggs, but do not hatch their offspring in such conditions.

Bird age

They lay eggs from 4-6 months of life. The first year is the most productive. Then productivity drops by 15-20% every year.

Some breeders, in order to extend the productive age of birds, give them special vaccinations (preferably in the spring).

Readiness for laying is determined visually. The chicken's comb becomes bright, the pubic bones are located at a distance of 2 fingers from each other.

Predators

Rodent infestations are common in spring and autumn. They are especially dangerous. Mice, rats and ferrets often steal and eat eggs. Sometimes the hens themselves peck at the shell and eat the inside. Especially if the surface is damaged or cracked for any reason.

Once they have tasted such a delicacy, they will continue to peck at their own clutches. To prevent the mass destruction of products, do the following. Make holes in one egg on both sides, fill it with liquid soap and put it in the nest. The birds will peck at it, feel how unpalatable it is and will no longer peck at the rest.

Seasonal factors

Natural, seasonal factors play a role in obtaining eggs.

Better egg production is due to natural instinct. In the warm season, summer and spring, favorable weather conditions, good food and green feed make it possible for laying hens to produce the largest amount of the expected product. The normal process is due to long daylight hours, which lasts up to 16 hours.

In October it gets dark quickly, the days are shortened, and to prevent productivity from decreasing, it is important to install artificial lighting in the room using electric lamps. This way the product will be of better quality and in larger quantities.

To prevent the birds’ internal rhythm of life from being disrupted, it is better not to extend daylight hours beyond 14-16 hours.

The masonry is out of place

Outside the chicken coop, hens sometimes lay their eggs. This occurs due to their eccentric nature or in search of better conditions when the season changes. This happens more often when birds are free-range, in spring or summer.

In this case, it seems that the laying hens have completely stopped producing eggs. It is necessary to keep her indoors for several days to test the accuracy of the theory, while at the same time placing tennis balls in the nest so that she quickly settles into the coop.

How to increase productivity

To increase productivity and avoid the problem of low egg production, it is important to carry out preventive measures, which include:

• increase in protein in feed in autumn;
• increase in calcium in feed;
• clean and wash the room more often;
• change litter regularly;
• monitor the water regime and the purity of drinking water;
• provide a comfortable temperature;
• conduct a herd walk in the fresh air in an open enclosure or pasture.

If the bird stops producing due to stress, apple cider vinegar is sometimes added to the feed: 20 ml per 1 liter of water (30-35 days).

It is important that laying hens always have access to a source of calcium in the form of crushed shells, chalk, clams, etc.

You can add fertilizer to the feed from the store.

During molting in the fall, birds need special attention and the right food, which will contain a lot of sulfur. To do this, alfalfa, cabbage, bone meal, etc. are mixed into the feed. It is better to completely exclude grain during this period. Without it, laying hens will begin to produce the product faster.

Why did laying hens stop laying eggs?

Conclusion

To keep the bird healthy and profitable, you will have to make an effort. Egg production is influenced by many factors, familiarizing yourself with which can speed up the process of obtaining eggs.