Why is my chicken not laying eggs?
A sudden stop in laying is almost always one of a dozen common, fixable causes. Work through them in order before assuming illness.
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Open AI Chicken DoctorMost likely causes
1. Short daylight (winter)
Hens need ~14 hours of light to ovulate. Production drops sharply Oct-Feb without a coop light.
2. Molting
Annual feather replacement in fall. Egg production stops for 6-12 weeks while protein goes into feathers.
3. Broodiness
She's sitting on a nest trying to hatch eggs (even imaginary ones). She'll stop laying until you break the broody cycle.
4. Stress or new birds
Predator scares, moves, fights, or new flock members can shut down laying for 1-3 weeks.
5. Poor diet or low calcium
Switching to scratch grain, too many treats, or no oyster shell stops production fast.
6. Age
Most hens slow significantly after age 3 and may stop entirely by age 5-7, depending on breed.
7. Mites or lice
Heavy parasite load drains energy and protein, check around the vent for crawling pests or egg clusters.
8. Illness
Most diseases drop laying before any other symptom shows. If you've ruled out everything else, look closer at her overall condition.
What to check first
- How many hours of daylight is the coop getting?
- Are her feathers patchy or new pinfeathers visible (molt)?
- Is she sitting on the nest all day, puffed up, hissing?
- Any change in feed, treats, or oyster shell in the last 2-4 weeks?
- Part the feathers around the vent, see any tiny crawling bugs or clumps near feather bases?
- How old is she? Hens slow after 3 years.
- Has she been bullied or hiding more than usual?
Home care that works
- Add a coop light on a timer giving 14 hours of light total (morning, not evening).
- During molt, switch to 20%+ protein feed and skip the scratch.
- Break broodies by removing them from the nest several times a day, or by placing them in a wire-bottom cage for 3 days.
- Offer free-choice oyster shell in a separate dish, never mixed into feed.
- Treat mites/lice with permethrin dust under wings and around vent.
- Reduce stress: minimize coop changes, separate bullies.
Call a vet if
- She's straining or pacing, could be egg bound (emergency).
- Watery diarrhea, weight loss, or hunched posture alongside no laying.
- Multiple hens stop laying suddenly with no obvious trigger.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a chicken go without laying eggs?
Healthy hens take 6-12 weeks off during molt every fall and may take winter off too. Broody hens stop for 21+ days. Anything longer with no clear reason deserves a closer look.
Do chickens lay eggs every day?
Top-laying breeds (ISA Brown, Leghorn) lay nearly every day in their first 1-2 years. Heritage breeds typically lay 3-5 per week.
Will a coop light hurt my hens?
Adding 1-2 hours of morning light is fine and matches natural seasonal cues. Never go over 16 hours, chronic over-lighting wears out hens faster.