Egg production, lighting and molt

With unusually warm weather this January weekend, it might be a good time to check your coop's lighting. Here's a guest column from Nutrena's Scoop from the Coop, shared with permission from our friend Twain Lockhart.


Decreased Egg Production: Molt and Winter Lighting 
Molt is the natural cycle where birds lose feathers and gradually regrow their plumage. Molt usually occurs when the days start to shorten in late summer and it can go well into the fall season. The feather shedding process can take as long as 16 weeks to completely cycle through and has the potential to greatly decrease egg production in your chickens. When chickens molt, a lot of the energy in their bodies is used to regrow feathers and less energy is available for egg production. Many chicken owners will see a huge drop off in the number of eggs they find in the nesting boxes this time of year. However, there are a few potential shortcuts to reduce the impact of molt on your birds.

Nutrition plays a huge role in getting through the molting cycle and having a proper diet can reduce the length of time your birds are in molt. Feeding an adequate level of protein and proper amino acid profiles can greatly help boost energy levels in your birds. A product like NatureWise Feather Fixer, that offers 18% protein, can be a great option for molting birds. This product is meant to be fed as a sole ration and it has the potential to get your girls through molt several weeks faster than if they were on a traditional layer diet. 

 Another key factor in decreased egg production in the fall is related to diminished sunlight. Chickens usually need between 12 and 16 hours of daylight to maintain maximum egg laying potential. With daylight getting shorter in the fall, you can introduce supplemental lighting to maintain egg production for your flock. Setting up a generic 75 watt light bulb in your coop will produce enough light to keep egg production at a similar level to those long summer days. We do NOT recommend using a heat lamp in your coop. Heat lamps generate a lot of heat and can become a fire hazard. The purpose of the light bulb is to generate enough light in the coop to “trick” the chickens into thinking it is still daylight outside. It’s recommended to have the light set to a timer and have the light come on early in the morning rather than extending daylight later in the day. This way the chickens are awaken by the light bulb and they can use it as an alarm clock to start the day. If the light is set on a timer at night, the chickens may not expect it to go off and it could disorient them or cause stress when it suddenly gets dark in the coop. There’s no doubt that reduced egg production is a challenge, but with some small adjustments you can help your flock get back on track.