So your chickens have suddenly stopped laying eggs and you’re wondering what happened to your breakfast supply? Don’t worry – I’ve been there too! When my Rhode Island Reds went from laying daily to nothing I was scratching my head (much like they scratch the ground).
The good news is that most egg-laying issues can be identified and fixed with a bit of chicken detective work. Let’s dig into why your feathered friends might be on an egg-laying strike and what you can do about it.
1. Their Diet Needs Attention
One of the most common reasons chickens stop laying is diet-related issues. My first hen, Henrietta, suddenly stopped laying when I accidentally ran out of layer feed and gave her regular chicken feed for a week Big mistake!
What to check
- Are they getting proper layer feed with at least 16-18% protein?
- Do they have access to calcium supplements like oyster shells?
- Is their water supply clean and constant?
- Are you giving too many treats? (The 90/10 rule applies – 90% layer feed, 10% treats)
How to fix it:
Switch to a high-quality layer feed and make sure they’re not filling up on treats. I started giving my hens Chicken E-lixir in their water, which contains vitamins, minerals, and essential oils to boost their nutrition. Within days, they were back to laying!
2. Insufficient Daylight
Chickens need 14-16 hours of daylight to maintain good egg production. When days get shorter in fall and winter, egg production naturally decreases.
How to fix it:
Some chicken keepers add supplemental lighting on timers in the coop to extend “daylight” hours. However, I personally believe in giving hens their natural winter break – it helps them live longer and healthier lives. If you decide to add light, just a low-watt bulb on a timer can do the trick.
3. They’re Molting
When your chicken looks like it’s been in a pillow fight and lost, it’s probably molting! During this natural process of shedding and regrowing feathers, egg production stops as their body redirects protein to feather growth instead of egg production.
What to look for:
- Patchy feather loss
- Messy appearance
- Generally occurs in late summer/fall
- Can last 8-12 weeks
How to help:
Increase protein in their diet during molting. I give my hens mealworms, scrambled eggs, or even a bit of cat food as protein treats during this time. Patience is key – they’ll resume laying when their fancy new feathers have grown in!
4. Broodiness
Is your hen sitting in the nesting box all day, puffed up and making dinosaur-like growling noises when you approach? She’s gone broody! This means she wants to hatch eggs, not lay them.
How to break broodiness:
- Repeatedly remove her from the nest throughout the day
- Place her in a “broody breaker” – a wire-bottomed cage with good air flow
- Give her a cooling bath (gently place her in cool water up to her breast)
Or, if you want baby chicks, you can let nature take its course and give her fertile eggs to hatch!
5. Age Matters
Just like humans, chickens slow down with age. Most hens lay heaviest in their first 2-3 years, then production gradually declines.
Production by age:
- First year: 200-250+ eggs
- Second year: 80% of first year (160-200 eggs)
- Third year: 70% of first year (140-175 eggs)
- Fourth year and beyond: Continues declining
If your 4+ year old hen has stopped laying, she might be enjoying her chicken retirement!
6. Stress and Coop Drama
Chickens are sensitive creatures, and stress wreaks havoc on egg production. Common stressors include:
- Predators lurking around
- New chickens added to the flock
- Moving to a new coop
- Too many roosters (or aggressive roosters)
- Overcrowding
One summer, a fox started hanging around our coop at night – even though it couldn’t get in, our hens were so stressed they stopped laying for weeks!
How to help:
Identify the source of stress and address it. Make sure your coop is predator-proof, give adequate space (4 sq ft per bird in coop, 10 sq ft in run), and introduce new birds carefully.
7. Health Issues
Sick chickens don’t lay eggs. Watch for signs of illness such as:
- Lethargy
- Decreased appetite
- Abnormal droppings
- Pale comb
- Respiratory issues (sneezing, wheezing)
- Mites or lice infestations
What to do:
If you suspect illness, isolate the affected hen and consult a vet if needed. For external parasites, treat the entire flock and coop. I’ve found that diatomaceous earth sprinkled in dust bathing areas helps prevent mite and lice problems.
8. They’re Hiding Their Eggs
Sometimes the issue isn’t that they’ve stopped laying – it’s that they’ve found a secret nesting spot! Free-range chickens are notorious for this. My Australorp had me convinced she’d stopped laying until I discovered her secret nest under a bush with 19 eggs!
How to find hidden eggs:
- Watch where hens go during laying time (mid-morning)
- Look in tall grass, under bushes, in the garage, or under equipment
- Temporarily confine chickens to the coop until mid-afternoon to force them to use nesting boxes
9. Extreme Weather
Both heat and cold extremes can cause hens to stop laying. Temperatures above 90°F or below freezing can trigger egg production pauses.
Weather solutions:
- In summer: Provide shade, fresh cool water, frozen treats, and good ventilation
- In winter: Insulate the coop (but don’t seal it completely), provide extra bedding, and consider a coop heater if temperatures are extreme
10. Something’s Eating the Eggs
Sometimes the problem isn’t production – it’s that the eggs are being eaten before you find them! Culprits include:
- Snakes
- Rats
- Raccoons
- The chickens themselves (once they get a taste for eggs, it’s a hard habit to break)
Egg protection strategies:
- Collect eggs frequently
- Make sure nesting boxes are dark and secure
- Eliminate rodent populations around the coop
- Use ceramic eggs to discourage egg-eating habits
11. Recent Changes to Routine
Did you recently move the coop? Change feed brands? Get a new dog? Chickens are creatures of habit, and disruptions to their routine can temporarily halt egg production.
When we repainted our coop, our girls went on an egg strike for nearly a week even though we housed them elsewhere during the process!
Solution:
Give them time to adjust to changes – usually 1-2 weeks is sufficient for them to adapt and resume laying.
12. Egg-Laying Issues
Sometimes physical issues prevent normal laying:
- Egg binding (when an egg gets stuck)
- Oviduct infections
- Internal laying (eggs released into body cavity instead of oviduct)
These conditions require immediate attention as they can be life-threatening.
What Can I Do Right Now?
If your chickens have stopped laying, here’s my step-by-step troubleshooting plan:
- Check their diet – Switch to a quality layer feed if needed
- Examine their health – Look for signs of illness or parasites
- Evaluate their environment – Ensure it’s clean, safe, and stress-free
- Consider the season and age – Is it winter or are they old ladies?
- Look for hidden nests – They might be laying in secret spots
- Be patient – Sometimes they just need a break and will resume laying when ready
When Should I Be Concerned?
While most laying issues are normal and temporary, seek help if:
- Your chicken shows signs of illness along with stopped laying
- You notice unusual discharge, swelling, or behavior
- Your young, healthy hen hasn’t laid in over 3 months during prime laying season
Final Thoughts
Remember, even the best laying hens take breaks sometimes! My flock’s production varies throughout the year, and that’s completely natural. By ensuring your chickens have proper nutrition, comfortable living conditions, and good health care, you’ll maximize their egg-laying potential while keeping them happy.
Extreme Heat and Cold
Hens stop laying eggs if they become too hot or too cold. Chickens lay eggs in temperatures between 50°F and 75°F.
On hot days it is always a good idea to provide plenty of shade so they can retreat from the sun. Also, give them a well-ventilated coop to sleep in at night. Always provide plenty of fresh, cool, clean water. You can even add ice cubes to their water to keep it cool.
Now on those extremely cold days, hens also stop laying, so it’s important to know how to keep chickens warm in the winter. It is a good idea to throw feed out on the ground in the evening before putting them in at night so they have something to digest, which keeps them warm.
Make sure the coop is draft free and that you put lots of bedding down in their nesting boxes to keep them warm.
A coop that does not have excellent ventilation is not a suitable environment for your chickens. If a coop does not have ventilation, ammonia can build up in the coop, and the hens can get respiratory illness and be irritated, causing the hens to stop laying eggs.
A good rule of thumb is that 1/5 of the chicken coop should be open for ventilation to prevent ammonia build-up or stagnation in a coop. If your coop has this problem, open it up and cover the holes with wire mesh.
Another way to prevent ammonia build-up is to clean your coop regularly. Change the bedding and keep a deep bed of organic matter on the floor.
Our Egg Laying Chickens
A healthy hen will produce an egg at least every other day, so if our hens stop laying eggs, it’s good to identify why. We want the eggs, but we also want our hens to be healthy and happy.
You never know when something will come up that causes hens to stop laying, so we collect eggs whenever our hens are producing and do our best to preserve them when we have an abundance. This preparation gives us extra eggs to eat if production decreases for a short time.
I put together a list I learned from Lisa Steele at Fresh Eggs Daily to help me identify why chickens stop laying eggs.
Chickens Not Laying Eggs For Months! The Causes
FAQ
When do chickens stop laying eggs?
LET THEM GO THROUGH IT! It’s a totally normal, natural process. They should be back to normal and laying eggs in 2 months or so (it depends on the chicken). 4. TOO YOUNG TO LAY EGGS Your chicken can stop laying eggs simply because it’s too young to lay eggs. Chickens usually don’t start laying eggs until their around 10-12 months old.
Why did my chickens stop laying eggs?
3. Molting Another reason that your chickens stopped laying eggs could be due to molting. Molting is when chickens shed their old feathers and re-grow bright shiny new ones. This process is taxing on the chicken’s body, and many take a break in egg laying so their body can put its energy into growing new feathers.
Why are my hens not laying?
A common issue that people run into when egg production drops is assuming that their hens aren’t laying simply because there aren’t any eggs in the nesting box. On the contrary, it could very well be that your hens are still laying – just not in the nesting boxes.
Why does my chicken never lay a single egg?
There are some chickens who, despite being great egg layer breeds and having all the conditions perfectly aligned, will never lay a single egg. Often, this is due to a genetic defect. Occasionally, health problems like these can be worsened or brought on by issues like a poor diet.
Why are my hens laying less eggs?
Another reason for decreased egg production is over-treating and over-supplementing hens. Added treats and scraps can dilute the nutrients in a complete layer feed so the hen is less able to produce eggs consistently. Laying hens need certain nutrients for consistent health and performance.
What should I do if my chickens stop laying eggs?
If your chickens have stopped laying eggs, there are a few things you can do to encourage them to lay again. One of the simplest is to change their diet; adding some new foods or switching up their feed can help jumpstart egg production.
How do I get my chicken to lay eggs again?
How long can a chicken go without laying an egg?
Will chickens stop laying if the coop is dirty?
What triggers chickens to lay eggs?