Why do chickens stop laying eggs for a period of time?
When your pullets reach about 5-6 months of age, if you will supplement the natural daylight with light bulbs to maintain a 14-17 hour day, you will be very happy with the extra eggs. Birds have a pineal gland behind the eye that controls reproduction. That, of course, is egg production. This switch is turned on and off by the hours of light the birds have each day. Birds normally begin laying in the spring (not because the weather is becoming warmer, but, because the number of daylight hours begins to increase). Production decreases or stops in the fall because the daylight hours are shorter. To maintain good egg production all winter, make sure the light never decreases.
