Why Chickens Slow Down Laying in the Fall

The long, warm days of summer are coming to a swift end Just as quickly, you may have noticed a sudden drop in your flock’s egg production!

Chickens will slow down laying during the fall for two reasons; less sunlight and the molt

In the world of chickens, less daylight equals less prolactin

Prolactin exists in most creatures and is a reproductive regulating hormone Prolactin is responsible for stimulating the ovulation cycle in a hen No one really knows why, but in our domestic chickens, prolactin levels decrease when days begin to have less than 12 hours of sunlight

Without a normal ovulation

Managing Egg Production During Shorter Days

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer

If you’re a backyard chicken keeper, maybe your flock is going through their molt, or their egg production is going down with the shorter days A chicken’s egg production slows depending on the amount of light they are getting during the day

In the fall and winter, there is less natural light causing egg production to slow down If you want to encourage egg production, you will need to provide a light source to ensure your chickens are getting between 12 to 16 hours of light a day

This can be