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Before this, chickens did not thrive during the winter due to lack of sunlight, and egg production, incubation, and meat production in the off-season were all very difficult, making poultry a seasonal and expensive proposition. Year-round production lowered costs, especially for broilers. Artificial daylight supplementation also started being used.
However, a further study conducted by the German government concluded that embryos do not feel pain before day 13, and the law was adjusted accordingly. This was a positive development for the in-ovo sexing industry, since many technologies can work before day 13, but not before day 7.
The theory gained steam on Facebook, TikTok and Twitter in recent weeks, with some users reporting that their hens stopped laying eggs and speculating that common chicken feed products were the cause.
Older hens gradually produce fewer eggs, and the eggs are usually larger. [1] Since the average lifespan of a pet layer hen is 8–15 years, [2] henopause has received attention as a potential problem for backyard or urban chicken farmers who are eventually faced with the decision to either slaughter older layers or keep them as non-producing pets.
Illinois' ecology is in a land area of 56,400 square miles (146,000 km 2); the state is 385 miles (620 km) long and 218 miles (351 km) wide and is located between latitude: 36.9540° to 42.4951° N, and longitude: 87.3840° to 91.4244° W, [1] with primarily a humid continental climate.
The RSPCA "Welfare standards for laying hens and pullets" indicates that the stocking rate must not exceed 1,000 birds per hectare (10 m 2 per hen) of range available and a minimum area of overhead shade/shelter of 8 m 2 per 1,000 hens must be provided. Free-range farming of egg-laying hens is increasing its share of the market.
Severe weather, including tornadoes, is common during the spring and summer months. [10] Rare blizzards can happen in parts of central Illinois in winter. The weather of central Illinois affects the crop season as well; droughts can sometimes happen in the summer and fall causing harm to the soybean and corn crops.
Sham dustbathing raises questions regarding hen behavior, motivation, and welfare. [6] A study utilized a weighted push-door as the operant method to assess the motivation of adult hens with varying experiences of litter. There was no discernible difference in motivation levels between hens with prior exposure to litter and those without.