Backyard Livestock: Chickens, Goats, Bees and More

1. Your healthy hens stop laying in December even though they are not molting. What is the most likely reason?

• Days are too short: steady laying needs about 14–16 hours of light
• Their feed loses most of its protein in cold weather, so laying stops
• Hens lay only in spring, so every hen stops once she turns one year old
• Winter cold makes hens hold their eggs until the coop warms above 70°F

2. You are building a coop for 12 laying hens. How many nest boxes does the usual extension guidance call for?

• About 3, one box for every 4 to 5 hens
• About 12, one box for every single hen
• Just 1 box, shared by the whole flock
• About 24, two boxes for every single hen

3. What is the minimum indoor floor space usually recommended for a coop holding 10 standard-size hens?

• About 30–40 sq ft (3–4 m²), or 3–4 sq ft per bird
• About 10 sq ft (1 m²), or just 1 sq ft per bird
• About 250 sq ft (23 m²), or 25 sq ft per bird
• About 5 sq ft (0.5 m²), or half a sq ft per bird