Maintaining egg production during cold months

Maintaining Egg Production During Cold Months

The fall and winter months are when hens naturally reduce their egg production, but chicken owners can use some tactics to keep hens laying all year.

As the fall season begins and daylight hours lessen, backyard chicken owners may notice a decrease in egg production. Hens require 12 to 14 hours of daylight to continue laying the number of eggs they lay in the spring and summer months.

Some hens will stop production entirely during this time of year and not start up again until spring.

Molting, which is when hens shed their feathers and grow new ones, also happens in the fall or winter.

During this yearly cycle, hens will usually stop egg production to use their energy for feather growth. By the time their feathers come in, the daylight has been reduced to less than what they need for egg production, and they will often take their egg-laying sabbatical until spring.

Author's summary: Tactics can help maintain egg production year-round.

High Plains Journal — 2025-10-18

Maintaining Egg Production During Cold Months

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