Maybe you treat your backyard chickens as pets and you are not using them to produce and sell eggs, but it is still nice to have fresh eggs ready for you each morning. There are many reasons why your hens may not be laying eggs including age, environment, nutrition, and more. In this article, we will discuss how you can help support your hens in frequently laying quality eggs that will help you keep making your mouth-watering morning omelets.

Light

For humans, sunlight affects our mood, and we even plan our schedules around sunny and rainy days. Similarly, hens laying eggs is linked to daylight and as the days get shorter in the winter so does the daylight. You can use a low-watt light bulb in the coop to give your bird more light to prolong their egg-laying throughout the day.

Water

Water is the single most important nutrient your chicken needs for quality egg production. Chickens are very particular about water and will not eat their food if they do not have something to drink. If you do not have fresh, clean water for your hen every day then this will decrease their egg production, and they will not eat as much which could lead to them getting sick.

Nutrients

Especially in the wintertime, a laying hen needs a lot of nutrition. They will exert more energy to keep themselves warm in the winter and less energy will go towards regularly laying eggs. By feeding your chicken nutrient-dense food, you will keep them happy and healthy and increase the chances of quality egg production.

Some of the important nutrients your hen needs:

• Calcium – calcium is vitally important in producing eggshells and hens need 4g of calcium a day, 2g of which go to the eggshell

• Protein – hens that are laying eggs need about 16-20% protein in their diet, egg production slows during molting season and protein helps with feather growth

• Omega-3 – hens that are fed omega-3 rich diets produce more enriched omega-3 eggs

• Magnesium – magnesium helps with calcium storage and bone development for strong and healthy chickens

A great source of nutrition for your hens is Supreme Grubs Black Soldier Fly Larvae. It is packed with micronutrients, calcium, phosphorus, and protein. Plus, it is environmentally friendly!

Illness

There are many diseases that could affect your birds and their laying ability. The common parasites that your bird could have are mites, fleas, and ticks. Make sure to check your birds frequently as some of these bugs can blend into your bird’s feathers. Feeding them nutrient-rich food (including the nutrients listed above) will keep your hens healthy and strong.

End of laying cycle

Chickens go through cycles of laying eggs that last about 10-12 months and they will typically lay an egg a day. If your hen is at the end of this cycle, then it is best to simply give her a break while she goes through a season of molting.

Roost

Hens naturally roost or perch at night to sleep. Roosts also keep your hens healthy because they will not constantly be on the ground of the coop where parasites and bacteria live. Chickens also need a separate safe place from their nesting box. Roosts make them feel more comfortable and will help with egg production.

Nesting box

Hens need a private and comfortable place to lay eggs with plenty of room. Make sure to line the nesting box with material that is easy to clean up like newspaper or straw. Clean it daily and collect the eggs regularly so that your hens will want to lay in it.

If you have a lot of backyard chickens that are currently laying eggs, then you may want 1-2 additional nesting boxes since they may want to be in it at the same time. More specifically, you will want to have one nesting box for every four hens. This will also encourage your hen to lay in the nesting box instead of from the roost, where the egg could crack when it falls.

If your hen has a habit of laying outside of her nesting box, then you can find some helpful tips here to help break this habit.

Conclusion

Overall, your backyard chickens are resilient and will adapt to their environment as long as they are cared for, clean, and well-fed, like any other pet. Sometimes hens just go through tougher seasons of egg-laying, even if you are doing everything you can to help them. Be patient and your hen should be back to her regularly scheduled laying soon.

Just like the human body has bacteria, fungi, and viruses that make up the microbiota in our gut, so do chickens. These microorganisms are vital to the overall health and wellbeing of your birds and necessary for their growth. 

Anatomy

In order to know how to best take care of your chickens, it is important to learn about how their digestive system works. We will go into further detail below about what happens after your chicken picks up their food and uses their tongue to push their food into their esophagus.

The crop

The crop (sometimes referred to as the “craw”) is directly after the esophagus. If you have felt it on your chicken before, then you may have been concerned that it had a tumor. But rest assured, this is the expandable compartment where food is stored until it is broken down further in the digestive process. Because of this, you can see a bulge in this area with your naked eye. Food can remain in this storage area for up to 12 hours.

Proventriculus

The proventriculus is the stomach and this is where digestive “juices” or enzymes break down the food, similarly to how our stomachs work. It is also referred to as the glandular stomach. 

Gizzard

Since chickens do not have teeth, the gizzard is where the “chewing” or grinding of the food happens. This is done by stones or grit that your chicken picks up in its environment as it eats. Therefore, the gizzard is referred to as the muscular stomach.

Small intestine 

The small intestine includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The purpose of the small intestine is to absorb the nutrients from the food that has been broken down and further aid the process of digestion. 

Large intestine

The large intestine includes the ceca, colon, and rectum. The purpose of the large intestine is to separate out the water from the food that is no longer beneficial to the chicken (does not provide nutrients). The large intestine also supports removing waste. 

Gut Health

There are hundreds of species of bacteria in a chicken’s gut that support immunity, fight against disease and infection, and maintain its health. The main things that affect your bird’s gut are their environment, how you take care of them, and what you feed them.

So why is it so important? Well, if your chicken’s gut is healthy, then the digestive process will flow smoothly and work as it should and give your bird all the nutrients it needs to be healthy. However, if your chicken’s gut is not working properly, then your bird is at higher risk for disease, infection, and possibly even malabsorption. 

It is also crucial to the quality of its eggs and the quality of meat (if your chickens are used for this purpose).  

Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics

There are things you can do to support the growth, immunity, and overall health of your chickens and that is incorporating supplements or food into their diet that will boost their immune system. 

Prebiotics

Prebiotics act like food for the bacteria in your gut. They are indigestible plant fiber that helps stimulate the growth of good bacteria. You can find prebiotics in high-fiber foods such as:

•     Berries
•     Garlic
•     Sauerkraut 
•     Dairy (cheese and yogurt)
•     Black Soldier Fly Grub 

Probiotics

Probiotics can be found in supplements or food and while your chickens can get healthy bacteria naturally from your yard or treats that you give them, probiotics are important to keep your chickens happy and healthy. 

Probiotics do the following:

•     Supports the immune system
•     Helps with quality egg production 
•     Encourages the growth of good bacteria
•     Aids in growth rates of your birds
•     Helps fight infection and disease 

Sometimes it is necessary to treat a specific disease with antibiotics, but antibiotics kill off the healthy bacteria as well and can leave your chicken defenseless. You can incorporate probiotics by sprinkling some on your chicken’s feed. A great source of probiotics and additional nutrition can be found in Supreme Grubs Black Soldier Fly Larvae. 

Postbiotics

Postbiotics are the end result of probiotics going through the fermentation process, and they are commonly found in fermented foods such as:

•     Kimchi
•     Yogurt
•     Sauerkraut
•     Apple Cider Vinegar

Resources

You can find more information about prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics and how they benefit your birds in our previous blog article here.

It is normal to worry about your chickens as the weather gets colder and to wonder what you should do to keep them warm, happy, and healthy. There are a few dos and don’ts that we will discuss in this article about how to take care of your chickens during the winter.

What you should do

(1) Use Sunlight

The sun is a natural heat source that you can take advantage of for your birds. One of the best options is to use windows with insulation that will trap the heat from the sunlight throughout the day and keep it warm in the coop.

You can also incorporate a run into your coop for those chickens that get antsy and want to get some fresh air. Maybe it is too cold for them to be fully outside in your backyard, but this way they can still feel the sun on their feathers.

(2) Collect Eggs More Often

When your hens are laying eggs in the winter the below-freezing temperatures will make the eggs start to freeze. If the eggs do freeze, then they will start to expand and eventually crack. You will need to collect your hens’ eggs more frequently throughout the winter to keep this from happening.

(3) Use a Water Heater

Your chicken’s water will freeze once it hits colder temperatures. You could either change their water often or invest in a water heater that thaws it out. If your chicken gets dehydrated, then your chicken could get sick, and it will cause a decrease in egg production.

If you do not want to make this investment, then you could incorporate a “sunroom” into the coop and keep the water in that section so that the sun will thaw it out. You can gauge if the place you live gets enough sun during the winter for this option to make sense or not.

(4) Provide Stimulus for Your Birds

Your chickens will get bored easily during the wintertime. Make sure you provide items to stimulate them to keep them busy. This could be a swing, some extra yummy treats, or a puzzle toy.

(5) Use the “Deep Litter” Method

Deep litter is a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to keep your birds warm. You will essentially create compost by layering pine shavings along with your chicken’s waste and feed. By occasionally stirring it up and adding more pine shavings, it will create microbes that will eat the bad bacteria.

(6) Feed and Water Your Birds More Frequently

Chickens are similar to us in the fact that we both exert more energy when trying to keep ourselves warm. Because of this, your chickens will be hungrier and thirstier throughout the day. Make sure the food that you add to their diet for this season is rich in nutrients and probiotics so it will give an additional boost to your bird’s immune system.

A great option is Supreme Grub’s Black Soldier Fly Larvae. This will be a yummy treat for your feathered friends and it contains 40% protein, 25% fat, and 80x more calcium than mealworms.

What you should not do

(1) Do Not Stress

Chickens are more resilient than you think. They are able to withstand cold temperatures with minimal assistance from you. These tips and tools in this article will help you feel more prepared. You already care about your chickens’ wellbeing by reading this.

(2) Do Not Use a Heater

A lot of people think that using a heater will help with warming the coop in the winter. However, this is a huge fire hazard considering the flammable material lining the bottom of your coop. It could also get too warm and cause your birds to overheat during the night.

Chickens’ body temperatures are naturally about 106 degrees Fahrenheit, and they have plenty of feathers to keep themselves warm. You may also see your chickens huddling together and this is their natural way of getting warmth from one another.

(3) Do Not Seal the Coop Completely

Your first instinct may be to close your chickens in at night and keep as much cold air out as possible. However, this traps the humidity inside and increases the chances of the coop developing mold that could make your chickens sick.

You should have some sort of ventilation for your birds. The best way to vent the cold air is through the top of the coop so that your birds will not have cold air blowing directly on them throughout the night.

(4) Do Not Forget a Roost

If you do not already have a roost in your chicken coop, then you will need to get one for winter. Chickens naturally roost together and as previously mentioned, they will do this at night to keep warm and because it is comfortable.