Hen Log #001

With the weather finally breaking, and the heatwaves of Summer 2026 seeming to be over, our girls finally are getting a chance to recover from their bout of heat stress.

Heat stress in hens occurs when they are exposed to high temperatures, leading to physiological strain on their bodies. During such conditions, hens may experience elevated body temperatures, increased respiratory rates, and decreased feed intake, which can ultimately affect their overall health and productivity. The stress can cause a decline in egg production, reduced egg quality, and even increased mortality rates if not managed properly. Recovery from heat stress typically takes several days to weeks, depending on the severity of the stress and the conditions provided for recovery, such as access to shade, water, and cooler environments. Proper management during hot weather is crucial to ensure the well-being of the hens and to minimise the long-term impacts of heat stress on their health and productivity.

Because the heatwaves this year seemed to come one week on, one week off, our girls had very little time to recover in between each time the temperature hit 30 degrees celsius.

We have currently dropped from around a dozen eggs per day collected to around 4 or 5 eggs per day collected, and we thank all of our customers for their understanding during these supply issues. With the rains that we have been getting this week, you would think that it would bring them much needed relief, however... they also don't like getting wet! hahaha So, in summary they are a bunch of grumpy old women, who are never happy with the weather. How British!