April ’s arrival typically stand for that hen throughout the U.S. are set out to lay eggs again . For some chicken - keepers , though , production never wanes over winter thanks to artificial lighting that keeps the girls lay through the darkest months of the year .
have a continual supply of bollock is gratifying . But this domestic fowl resource is not without its pitfalls .
If your hen are look severely scruffy , with bald-headed plot and places where feather just ca n’t seem to delay in , do n’t despair . They ’re not sick , and they definitely do n’t need culling .
What they postulate is a holiday .
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Egg - laying is serious business for your backyard bunch .
In addition to piss , the key components of egg production areproteinandcalcium . These are pull from the bones ( atomic number 20 ) and feathers ( protein ) of the laying hen .
As a result , the best level in a flock tend to be the seedy in appearance , while the shirker look sleeker . Rations especially formulated for layer , as well as supplements such as crushed huitre casing , replenish the nutrient that laying hen extract from their bodies .
This continual replenishment , however , is not enough . This is particularly true for prolific production breed such asLeghorns , Plymouth RocksandRhode Island Reds .
In addition to nutrients , a hen needs a breaking from egg output so as to let her body recover from the injury make by tap into her own consistency ’s building block .
This off time start out mechanically as day decreases . Once there are fewer than 14 hours of day , testicle production diminish as a hen ’s procreative organization begins to go dormant for the season .
While some hens might continue to lay an egg per workweek , the majority of layers cease yield . They commence again once they ’ve been discover to sufficient sun , typically when April vagabond around .
Overworked Birds
Girls who are not give the winter off to recover end up overtax their bodies to keep their generative system go . This stresses their bodies even further , make them to grow a more ragged , underfed appearance .
Modern feathers , which typically grow back during the layer ’ hibernation , become almost immediately subsume , lose to fuel eggs production . Hens who lay unceasingly throughout the year not only end up looking like ragamuffins , they also tend to have a shorter life story span than young lady who get winter vacation .
If your hens appear scruffy and threadbare , with weak , stubbly feather outgrowth , there is hope .
First , make absolutely certain that your flock ’s diet contains enough protein and atomic number 20 to support ballock yield .
add a protein accessory such as Calf Manna to the hen ’ feed will help provide them the nutrients they ask to replenish their feathers and overall bodies . Switching to a gamebird feed or chick fledgeling — any ration that has a eminent protein part — will also accomplish this .
Next , lease your hen rest over the wintertime , with only natural lighting in their coop ( window , yes ; stilted illumination , no ) . You might have to give up Sunday morning scrambles and , quite perchance , Easter - egg dyeing . But the remainder result — healthier , happier hens — is well worth the forfeiture .
