Henopause
Henopause, a
Description
Although daily egg production starts to tail off after one year old, it may continue until 5–7 years old. Older hens gradually produce fewer eggs, and the eggs are usually larger.
As many breeds of hen have been selectively bred for maximum egg production (300+ per year versus an ancestral 12 per year), many hens continue to lay for long periods, but may start to experience health complications such as egg yolk peritonitis (where the egg does not exit the body and thus causes fatal infections). Increasingly, those caring for chickens as pets may not have the expectation of eggs; some may even feed their hens' eggs back to them or even hormonally implant their hens to prevent egg-laying, which is purported to offer welfare benefits for the hens.[3]
Complications in keeping an affected hen
In commercial farming, a layer hen is considered no longer commercially viable at around thirteen months and is called a "spent hen".[4][5][6][7][8]
See also
References
- ^ Creith, Elizabeth. "When Chickens Stop Laying Eggs". Farmer's Almanac. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
- ^ "Top 10 Questions and Answers About Backyard Chickens". Countryside Magazine. January 29, 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
- ^ a b Mace, Jenny L., and Andrew Knight. 2024. "From the Backyard to Our Beds: The Spectrum of Care, Attitudes, Relationship Types, and Welfare in Non-Commercial Chicken Care" Animals 14, no. 2: 288, 10.3390/ani14020288
- ^ Denn, Rebekah (May 17, 2013). "'Henopause' and whether you should have backyard chickens". Seattle Times.
- ^ Turiel, Rachel (27 March 2014). "HENOPAUSE". Edible Southwest Colorado.
- ISBN 978-1-55092-565-4.
- ISBN 978-0-698-40405-2.
- ^ Nancarrow, Sally (December 8, 2006). "Battery hens saved for retirement". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-10-02.