On August 21, 2017, countless chickens on public volition sense a full eclipse of the Sun for the start together with solely fourth dimension inwards their lives. The catamenia of fourth dimension during which the Moon volition comprehend the Sun to varying degrees depends on where they live, but the "path of totality," or the consummate lights-out when the Moon totally blocks the Sun from the earth, volition terminal solely almost ii minutes together with xl seconds. What does that hateful for your backyard chickens? Should yous accept whatever exceptional precautions, worry almost their behavior, last concerned almost their their vision or fearfulness a drib inwards egg-production? The brusque answer to each is: no, together with thus relax together with relish the celestial show!
The electromagnetic radiations from the eclipse volition not movement blindness inwards your chickens. While it's truthful that retinal impairment could tumble out to chickens who expect at the Sun direct at whatever fourth dimension other than during the sun's consummate eclipse past times the moon, chickens are non inwards the habit of staring at the Sun together with in that place is no argue to believe they volition laid about gazing uncomfortably into the Sun during the solar eclipse on August 21st.
You don't bespeak to worry almost your chickens beingness exterior the coop during the solar eclipse. Chickens direct hold pitiful dark vision, which is why they laid about to head into the coop to notice a rubber roosting spot every bit dusk approaches nightly. As the Moon begins to darken the skies during the solar eclipse, your backyard chickens volition respond every bit they would to whatever other darkening of the skies past times heading into the coop. When the eclipse wanes, they'll probable meander dorsum out for the residual of the day. The eclipse won't direct hold whatever to a greater extent than touching on on the flock than the average summertime thunderstorm that rolls inwards amongst dark clouds together with rolls out simply earlier dinnertime.
EGG PRODUCTION
We know that solar daytime length triggers egg production together with decreasing solar daytime length negatively impacts it, together with thus are nosotros concerned that the solar eclipse volition accept a cost on the daily egg tally? Nope! According to poultry veterinary physician Annika McKillop, "The birds volition continue laying- in that place isn't a large plenty alter inwards solar daytime length to brand them halt laying eggs. If anything, the birds may start to become to roost at dark every bit it gets darker close the fourth dimension of the eclipse. They volition come upward dorsum exterior in 1 lawsuit to a greater extent than subsequently the eclipse occurs every bit it gets lite again."
We know that solar daytime length triggers egg production together with decreasing solar daytime length negatively impacts it, together with thus are nosotros concerned that the solar eclipse volition accept a cost on the daily egg tally? Nope! According to poultry veterinary physician Annika McKillop, "The birds volition continue laying- in that place isn't a large plenty alter inwards solar daytime length to brand them halt laying eggs. If anything, the birds may start to become to roost at dark every bit it gets darker close the fourth dimension of the eclipse. They volition come upward dorsum exterior in 1 lawsuit to a greater extent than subsequently the eclipse occurs every bit it gets lite again."
Interested inwards knowing how chickens ACTUALLY behaved during the solar eclipse? Visit my Facebook page at this link to listen from chicken keepers simply about the country!
Sources & farther reading:
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how
