The chicken is one of nature's most spectacular, yet often underestimated creatures. Until recently, this bird was only considered a source of eggs and meat. According to studies, chickens have a high emotional IQ and a sense of order in their social lives. So, when your chickens stop laying eggs, there may be a reason for this sudden behavior.
A dirty chicken can cause healthy chickens to stop laying eggs. A few animals are intelligent enough to rebel against their owners if left in filthy conditions.
However, a dirty environment will cause chickens to stop producing eggs. Below you will find information to help you understand this behavior and help you take action.
What keeps chickens from laying eggs in a dirty house?
Wet or dirty nesting materials are usually found in dirty copper plates. As expected, your intelligent chicken will probably not feel comfortable in this coop due to the stench and cold temperature. Chickens cannot sit still or sleep in other dirty coops because of parasites and insects.
Your birds become stressed by these problems and their egg production decreases or even stops. As a result of psychological disorders, various reactions occur that reduce egg production.
Chickens have reasonable physical senses, just like other animals. Nevertheless, you cannot expect them to solve problems and come up with mechanisms to deal with the stress that a dirty house brings like humans. As a result, the birds will continue to lay few or no eggs without human intervention.
If my coop is dirty, will they lay eggs elsewhere?
If your coop is dirty, your chickens will lay eggs elsewhere. Since you don't have to clean the house anyway, this may be a coping mechanism that works for you.
However, you will lose most of your eggs if they are broken, difficult to locate, dirty, or eaten by predators. Even if your chickens continue to lay eggs, you will incur significant losses. It is also possible for chickens to stop laying eggs if they are still stressed from sleeping in a dirty coop.
Other reasons that cause chickens to stop laying eggs
Here are some other reasons why chickens stop laying eggs if you visit your clean house and don't see eggs in the nest boxes:
The:Typically, chickens start laying eggs at six months, so if yours doesn't, she may not be ready yet.
Race:There are some chicken breeds that are good layers and others that are excellent meat producers. It will be more difficult to harvest eggs if you choose a broiler instead of a layer. There are a number of chicken breeds that make good layers, including Rhode Island Reds and White Leghorns.
Newcomers:Introducing a new bird to a flock can cause even the most productive laying hens to cease egg production. As a result of the mover, the rhythm and balance of the herd are disturbed. If this is the case, be patient as the chickens will start laying again once they get used to the new birds.
Too much light in the nest box:Although daylight encourages egg laying, a dimly lit nest box will help your bird lay eggs comfortably.
Winter:The chickens must get at least 16 hours of daylight in winter to lay eggs. It is understandable that egg production decreases in winter when there is less sunlight. To create the illusion of daylight, you can install accessories such as lamps in the cage.
Lack of nutrients:Egg production requires adequate nutrition, just like for humans. Lag pellets with proteins are the best choice. In addition, sunflower seeds and mealworms can be included in their diet.
Lege feeders:Seeing complete feeders is a delight for chickens, even when their bellies are full. They seem to find peace in this. Empty food bowls worry them because they think they will starve. Egg production is affected by stress.
When should the chicken coops be cleaned?
You will need to clean your chicken coop based on the size of the space, the litter box method you use, and the number of chickens you have. Deep litter is a commonly used cleaning technique.
On the floor of your chicken coop you will leave a deep layer of bedding that can accumulate over time. The decomposition of litter and manure is promoted by microbes, which reduce odors. A thorough cleaning of the garden is only necessary once a year. Although the deep soil method is practical and durable, it works best in colder climates for larger coppers.
Whatever type of chicken coop you have, it is highly recommended that you thoroughly clean it monthly. To find out if the chicken coop needs cleaning, smell it. Chickens and neighbors can smell it too, if you can. Since the odor is caused by ammonia, which causes respiratory problems in humans and chickens, you need to clean it.
What are some tips to keep chicken coops clean for longer?
If you follow these tips, you will have to clean your chicken coop less often.
- Dropboards are worth investing in. Basically, these are shelves for collecting chicken waste laid out overnight. It's easy to add the poop to your compost pile every morning.
- If you want to avoid frequent cleaning, invest in removable bases that can be thoroughly cleaned.
- You should use sand as bedding. Unlike pine shavings, it has a lower bacterial count, lower moisture content and lower mold population.
- To keep the cage clean, brush and polish the cage regularly with a feather duster.
Conclusion
After reading this article you should be able to understand why your flock has been producing fewer eggs. Achieving the best egg production requires more than just building a high-quality chicken coop.
Keeping it clean will also reduce or eliminate stress for your birds. If you take the right steps, you can make a nice profit from your flock's eggs.
