Well, it must be winter time or close enough to it because our flock of urban chickens is on strike. They've laid just a single egg this week! They don't appear to be molting, so it must just be the shorter days and maybe the colder temperatures.
Somehow, I bet this ends up making it into this year's Nanowrimo story...
Chicken laying is affected by light. Chickens actually lay based on light cycles instead of by days. If you want to "make" them lay, use artificial lights, such as a heat lamp, in their house. We actually manipulate the light the other direction - to make them NOT lay during the winter. It's healthier for them to take a break, if you don't absolutely need the eggs. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, that's what I meant by shorter days (fewer hours of daylight). Good point about taking breaks/etc.
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