Are your chickens eating all that expensive feed but not giving you any eggs in return? I’ve been there! When I first started raising backyard chickens, I had no idea how to tell which of my hens were actually producing and which ones were just freeloading. After years of experience (and many eggless mornings), I’ve learned the telltale signs that separate the layers from the loungers.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about identifying laying hens. Whether you’re a seasoned chicken keeper or just starting out, these tips will help you manage your flock more effectively.
Physical Signs Your Hen is Laying Eggs
There are several physical characteristics that can help you determine if your chicken is actively laying eggs Let’s look at the most reliable indicators
1. Comb and Wattle Appearance
One of the most obvious signs is the appearance of your hen’s comb and wattles (those fleshy parts on the head and under the chin). In laying hens, these will be:
- Large
- Bright red
- Glossy or waxy in appearance
My Rhode Island Reds always get super bright red combs right before they start laying. If you notice a hen with a pale, shrunken comb, she’s probably not producing eggs at the moment.
2. Vent Examination
The vent (also called the cloaca) is where eggs come out, and its appearance can tell you a lot about egg production:
| Laying Hen | Non-Laying Hen |
|---|---|
| Moist | Dry |
| Oval-shaped | Round and puckered |
| Pink/reddish | Yellowish (in yellow-legged breeds) |
| Approximately 1 inch wide | Smaller |
To check the vent, you’ll need to gently hold your chicken and examine this area. Be careful and gentle – your hen won’t appreciate a rough inspection!
3. Pelvic Bone Spacing
This hands-on method is one of the most reliable ways to check if a hen is laying Here’s how to do it
- Hold your hen securely, facing away from you
- Locate the two pointy bones on either side of the vent (these are pelvic bones)
- Measure the gap between them with your fingers
In a laying hen, you should be able to fit 2-3 fingers between these bones. If they’re close together (less than 2 fingers width), she’s probably not laying. This happens because when a hen is in egg production, these bones naturally spread apart to allow eggs to pass.
4. Feather Condition
Believe it or not, scraggly-looking hens are often your best layers! Here’s why:
- Laying hens divert protein to egg production rather than feather maintenance
- Look for worn, broken feathers on the back and around the vent
- Hens with beautiful, pristine feathers might be sending nutrients to their appearance instead of eggs
My best layer, Henrietta always looks like she just rolled out of bed – but she gives me an egg almost every day!
5. Pigmentation Changes
This sign works best for yellow-legged breeds like Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds. When a hen starts laying eggs, the yellow pigment gradually bleaches from her body in this order:
- Vent area (bleaches first)
- Eye ring
- Beak
- Legs and feet (bleaches last)
When a hen stops laying, the yellow color returns in reverse order. So a hen with bright yellow legs and beak has likely been on a laying break for a while.
Behavioral Signs of Egg-Laying
Physical characteristics aren’t the only clues. How your chicken acts can tell you a lot about her egg production:
6. Nesting Behavior
A hen that’s ready to lay will show interest in nest boxes. You might notice her:
- Inspecting nest boxes frequently
- Arranging bedding materials
- Spending more time in the coop
- Making “nest calls” – distinctive vocalizations
I’ve found that my layers get super chatty right before laying. They make this funny little song that’s different from their normal clucking. It’s like they’re proud and want everyone to know about their accomplishment!
7. The “Squat” Response
This is a fascinating behavior that’s almost 100% reliable for identifying laying hens. When you approach or place your hand on a laying hen’s back, she will:
- Crouch down
- Spread her wings slightly
- Flatten her back
This “submissive squat” is actually a mating position. When a hen is producing eggs, her hormones make her receptive to mating, so she’ll automatically assume this position. Non-laying hens typically don’t show this behavior.
8. Interaction with Roosters
If you have a rooster in your flock, he’ll give you clues about which hens are laying:
- Roosters typically pay more attention to laying hens
- They’ll mate more frequently with productive hens
- Non-laying hens receive much less attention
Factors That Affect Egg Production
Before you decide a hen isn’t laying, consider these factors that can temporarily halt egg production:
Age Considerations
- Pullets (young hens) usually start laying between 18-24 weeks of age
- Peak production occurs in the first 1-2 years
- Egg production naturally declines after 2-3 years
- Older hens may lay fewer eggs or take longer breaks
Seasonal Changes
Most chickens will reduce or stop laying during:
- Winter months (due to reduced daylight)
- Expect 25-50% less production in darker months
- First-year pullets might continue laying through their first winter
- Some chicken keepers add supplemental light in winter, but this prevents the hen’s natural rest period
Molting
When chickens replace their feathers (usually in fall), they typically:
- Stop laying eggs completely
- Divert protein to feather production
- Resume laying after molting is complete (2-16 weeks)
- Better layers usually molt later in the season and complete their molt faster
Stress Factors
Several stressors can cause hens to stop laying:
- Heat or extreme cold
- Predator threats
- Relocation or changes to the coop
- Illness or parasites
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Overcrowding
What To Do With Non-Laying Hens
If you’ve confirmed a hen isn’t laying, you have several options:
-
Cull the hen – Some keepers choose to remove non-productive hens from their flock to save on feed costs. This is especially common in commercial settings.
-
Keep her as a pet – Many backyard chicken keepers form attachments to their birds and choose to keep them even when egg production declines. This is what I do with my older girls – they’ve earned their retirement!
-
Check for health issues – Sometimes egg production issues stem from health problems like internal laying, parasites, or reproductive disorders.
-
Provide proper nutrition – Ensure you’re feeding a quality layer feed with approximately 16% protein and adequate calcium for laying hens.
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Address environmental issues – Make sure your coop is comfortable, predator-proof, and not overcrowded.
Real Example: Identifying a Non-Layer
Let me share a quick story from my own flock. I had a Rhode Island Red named Becky who started laying soft-shelled eggs from the perch at night, followed by brittle eggs even after calcium supplementation. Her eggs would get crushed in the nesting box, causing issues for the other hens.
To determine if she was still laying at all, I performed the pelvic bone check and vent examination. Despite her issues, her vent was wide and pink, and her pelvic bones were spaced appropriately for a layer. This told me she was still trying to produce eggs, but had a calcium absorption problem rather than a complete cessation of laying.
The most reliable ways to identify laying hens are:
- Visual inspection – Bright red combs/wattles and worn feathers
- Physical examination – Vent appearance and pelvic bone spacing
- Behavioral observation – Nesting behavior and squatting response
For the most accurate assessment, use multiple methods rather than relying on just one sign. With practice, you’ll become adept at quickly identifying which of your chickens are earning their keep!
Remember that even the best layers take breaks sometimes, especially during molting and winter months. Be patient with your flock, and don’t rush to judgment about a hen’s productivity without considering all factors.
Do you have any tricks for identifying your laying hens? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
Note: This article was last updated September, 2025
Chicken breeds and egg-laying
In addition to age, the particular breed of your chickens will also influence when eggs start to arrive. Certain breeds of chickens are known to start laying eggs earlier than others, and each breed has their own average age range for egg development.
Chickens that have historically been bred for the purpose of egg production often start laying eggs sooner (as early as 17 or 18 weeks old), including Leghorns, Golden Comets, Sex Links, Rhode Island Reds, and Australorps. On the other hand, heavier breeds like Wyandottes, Orpingtons, and Barred Rocks are known to take a bit longer. Our Easter Egger ladies are always last to add their colorful eggs to the basket, which is a known trait for their breed.
See our “Top 18 Backyard Chicken Breeds” article to learn more about different breeds, including heat and cold-hardiness, general demeanor, egg color and laying frequency.
She May Get Louder
Have you heard a chicken “egg song” yet? I find it funny that crowing roosters are banned in many urban areas, because hens can be damn vocal too! (Though I’ve read there is something more jarring and irritating about the tone of a rooster crow than hen songs to most people). Our chickens sing and squawk for hours before and after they lay an egg. So, before your young chickens start laying eggs, they may become increasingly talkative too.
As a young hen gears up to start laying eggs, her body will go through numerous changes – inside and out. The process of forming and laying eggs takes a lot of energy! So, you may notice your maturing chickens begin to eat more than usual. Laying hens have different nutritional needs than younger pullets or chicks. Younger birds eat “starter” and “grower” feeds that contain higher levels of protein to support their rapid growth. Layer feeds have slightly less protein, and a little extra calcium for proper eggshell formation. Therefore, gradually transition your chickens to a layer feed when they reach 18 weeks of age – or when the first egg arrives, whichever occurs first.
I also suggest putting out a source of free-choice calcium (such as crushed oyster shells or eggshells) either as soon as one hen starts laying eggs, or when you begin to notice the other tell-tale signs that eggs are coming soon. Check out this article to learn more about providing essential calcium for laying hens. We love having
Find Out Which Hen Is Laying!
FAQ
How can you tell if a chicken is laying eggs?
The most reliable way to tell if a chicken is laying eggs is by observing the length and color of her wattles. Vibrant red wattles are a strong indication that your hen is laying. Another way is to simply check if she lays an egg in front of you.
How do you know if a hen is laying?
Look at her legs, beak, and face. A hen who is laying will have a dull-looking beak, legs, and face. A hen who is vibrantly colored in these areas is sadly not laying. A hen who is laying will be putting all of her energy and extra calcium into producing eggs – not into looking pretty.
What is a good indicator that a chicken might start laying soon?
These two pullets are from the same hatch, but the pullet on the right looks like she might lay soon. Her waddles are longer and more red than the pullet on the left. Vibrant red wattles are my best bet for telling whether my chickens are laying (aside from the hens laying an egg in front of me).
How do you know if a hen is a good layer?
The pelvic bone test, because it measures a much more gradual change than the vent test, is a more reliable indicator of which hens are good layers and which ones aren’t. It can be useful to check the vent. A moist, large, oval-shaped vent indicates that the hen recently laid an egg.
Why is my hen not laying?
Secondly, a hen that has lost the vibrant red in her comb and wattles may have stopped laying. In yellow-legged breeds, the yellow pigment will return back to their vent, eye-ring, beak, legs and feet (in that order) when the hen is no longer laying. A hen that is not laying may also have a pale comb, especially if they are too young to lay.
What happens to a hen’s appearance when it starts laying eggs again?
When your hens start laying again after they molt, take notice of their legs, beaks, and face. A hen that is laying well will start to lose some of the colorings in all of these areas.
What is the behavior of a chicken before laying an egg?
Before a hen lays an egg, she may become restless, seek out a dark and private spot, and show increased nesting behavior, frequently checking the nesting boxes. Physically, her comb and wattles will develop a deep red color, and when approached, she will perform a “submissive squat,” which is a clear sign of sexual maturity and readiness to lay. She may also become more vocal, cackling, or “singing” her egg-laying song.
How to check if a chicken is egg-bound?