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.
Related symptoms
Is it a health problem or just a laying break?
Most hens that stop laying are healthy. The common reasons are short days, molt, broodiness, age and stress. The health side is what this section is about, because a few causes need a vet and some need reporting.
Signs that point to illness
- She is fluffed up, quiet or off her food.
- Her belly is swollen, hard or feels like a water balloon.
- She stands upright like a penguin or keeps straining.
- Her comb is pale in a season when it should be red.
- Her droppings look wrong for more than a day or two.
What to do
- Separate her for a closer look.
- Check for mites and lice around the vent at night.
- Feel the keel bone. A sharp keel means she has lost weight.
- Check feed. Too many treats or scratch can stop laying.
- Look for a hidden nest before you assume anything.
Look-alike problems
A swollen belly with lethargy can mean egg yolk peritonitis. Straining with no egg is egg binding. A pale comb with weight loss can be worms or mites, covered under anemia.
When the whole flock stops
A sudden drop across the flock, with sneezing, odd eggs or deaths, is a different matter. Respiratory viruses can do this, and so can avian influenza and Newcastle disease. If birds are dying, call your state veterinarian or extension office before moving any birds.
When to call a vet
Call if she stops eating, has a swollen belly, keeps straining, or does not improve in a few days of rest and good feed.
About the eggs
When she starts laying again, eggs are fine to eat unless she was given medication. In that case, check the product label or ask a vet.
Common questions about chickens not laying eggs
Can worms stop a hen from laying?
A heavy worm load can pull her condition down enough to slow or stop laying. A vet can run a fecal test.
Why did all my hens stop laying at once?
Look for a shared cause like short days, molt season, a feed change, a predator scare or an illness.
Is my old hen sick or just done laying?
If she is bright, eating and active, she is probably just older. Lethargy or a swollen belly means a vet visit.
