Chickens are affected by dropping temperatures & the change in day light hours during Autumn. Most hens will moult during late summer or early Autumn.
 

Keeping Warm

Chickens have a natural way of keeping warm and in general, most chickens tend to be cold hardy enough for NZ conditions. Chickens can actually handle the cold of winter better than the heat of summer. They have an instinct to fluff their feathers to keep warm. They also have the natural instinct to roost together.

Some people choose to heat their hen house over winter. Many argue that a heated coop is not only a fire hazard, but also not healthy for chickens. Their bodies may not easily adjust to the drastic temperature change inside and outside of the coop.

Also, remember that heating the coop can increase moisture. Too much moisture inside the coop can cause illness or frostbite to your flock.

We recommend that if you have an Outpost Hen House that you reposition it so that it is facing away from the prevailing wind during the winter months.

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The most common causes of a drop in egg production in backyard flocks

Collecting eggs from the nest boxes is one of the great joys of backyard chicken keeping and when the yield from the nest boxes isn’t what we expect, it can be disappointing, and at times, cause for concern. The following are the most common causes of a drop in egg production in backyard flocks with solutions where possible.

Decreased lighting conditions, Molting, Stress or or change, Broodiness, Disease, illness or parasites, Egg hiding, Egg eating chickens, Age, Predator theft, Nutrition imbalance, Water deprivation.

Fluctuations in egg production can be caused by a myriad of physical, behavioral, environmental and emotional triggers, some requiring remedial action and others, no cause for alarm.