How Will the Eclipse Impact my Chickens and Ducks?
Most chickens will never experience an eclipse in their lifetime - but if they do, how will it affect their eyesight, laying, roosting habits during that time?
Question: Will my Chickens Be Blinded?
Answer: Not Likely

Question: Will my Chickens Go To Roost?
Answer: Most Likely
As we know, chickens automatically head to bed when it starts to get dark, so I have every confidence that the chickens would just put themselves to bed as the skies started to darken.
Ours tend to head into the coop during a rainstorm as well, so I was guessing that the chickens would take care of themselves and hop onto their roosts at the onset of the darkness. Of course, it will be so short, that they'll just get settled when it will get light again and they'll re-emerge, likely scratching their heads at how short that night was!
My theory seems to be sound, at least according to an interesting story I read about Thomas Edison. In 1878, the year after he invented the phonograph, Thomas Edison traveled to Wyoming to view the eclipse and had set up his telescope in an empty chicken barn. As the story goes, when darkness descended, the entire flock of chickens descended on Mr. Edison as they frantically returned to roost!

Photo Credit: National Park Service
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Photo Credit: National Park Service |
Question: Will the Eclipse Affect Laying?
Answer: Not Likely
The short period of darkness probably isn't long enough to have any effect on your chickens' laying cycle. Plus, this time of year, with shorter days and the molt season starting, who's getting many eggs anyway, right?
So that's what I found out about Monday's eclipse and its potential impact on our flocks. After the event we should know a bit more about how it applies chickens thanks to a study being conducted by the University of Missouri that involves cameras set up in a hen house. I would also love to hear your experience and observations after the event!
The short period of darkness probably isn't long enough to have any effect on your chickens' laying cycle. Plus, this time of year, with shorter days and the molt season starting, who's getting many eggs anyway, right?
So that's what I found out about Monday's eclipse and its potential impact on our flocks. After the event we should know a bit more about how it applies chickens thanks to a study being conducted by the University of Missouri that involves cameras set up in a hen house. I would also love to hear your experience and observations after the event!