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When hens stop laying in fall
WELCOME TO A NEW #ASKTHEEXPERT COLUMN WITH MAURIZIO ARDUIN – RÈGIA EXPERIMENTAL STATION OF POULTRY FARMING!
Is it normal for laying hens to have a fall, or at least a standstill, between October and November?
Yes, it is normal. Hens enter a complete moult at the end of a laying cycle.
This coincides with the dropping of the feathers and almost always occurs in the following order: head, neck, breast, body, wings and tail.
The fall or halt in laying occurs when hens change wing feathers.
Hens moulting
The beginning of the moult and its duration vary greatly from hen to hen.
However, laying almost always starts again towards the end of autumn.
In optimal situations, the moult takes place from September to October and lasts about 8-10 weeks.
The moult can sometimes also start in July-August. It will then last longer (18-20 weeks) and is typical of bad layers.
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