Laying Hens:

At Seven Sons, we believe in creating healthy environments for our animals so that they can live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives. In today’s episode, Bruce (the 6^th son) will share his experience with raising laying hens during the harsh Indiana winters and what the transition from season to season looks like.

Tips:

#1 Make their environment as familiar as possible to avoid stress.

#2 Allow at least 3sq ft. per bird in a winterized greenhouse to encourage a higher lay rate during the colder months (75-80%).

#3 Incorporate a circulating water system using a geothermal pump to avoid freezing pipelines.

#4 Add wood chips every day to keep bedding as dry as possible.

#5 Use exhaust fans & rollup walls to avoid high humidity within the greenhouse to keep it warm and dry, as well as allow birds access to fresh pastures year round.

#7 Solar greenhouses typically keep the environment warm enough to keep eggs from freezing.