Do happier hens lay more eggs?

[SunnyAlberta]

I keep reading stories about people adding privacy, more space, music, climate control, plants, toys, decorations, comfier nests or better food to improve egg production. Have you made a change that had a positive outcome? What about changes that backfired or made you happier but not your birds?

 

[Judy]

Well, unhappy hens will lay fewer eggs. Too little space and I believe also lack of forage are stressful, so a lot of these additions I believe are sometimes helpful to distract the chickens from realizing they are crowded and have no grass. I believe music is generally used to discourage predators -- though talk radio in particular seems to be effective. I've never kept adult chickens in a small, like 10' x 10', pen, so I can't compare. I've seen laying decrease in very hot and very cold weather and for a week or two after a predator attack.

But I don;t believe they really need anything except food and water, space and forage to be quite happy.