Laying

Why Did My Hens Stop Laying? A Troubleshooting Checklist

Field guide · Updated November 10, 2026 · about 6 min read

Extension services point to the same short list of reasons hens stop laying: age, shorter days, molt, broodiness, stress, diet and water, and disease, plus eggs that are laid but never collected (Oregon State, Virginia Tech, Arizona). Oregon State's PNW 565 puts it plainly: "Egg production is a hen's reproductive activity. It is not a requirement for hens to thrive."

Short version: check age, day length and molt first; Mississippi State calls reduced light the most common reason laying drops in properly managed hens. If the slowdown comes with dull, coughing or lame birds, or deaths, go straight to the illness row: Oregon State and Virginia Tech both say a drop in egg production is often one of the first signs of disease.

Decision table

What you notice	Likely cause	First check or step
Young pullets, no eggs yet	Not laying yet	Pullets usually start at 18–22 weeks, depending on breed (Arizona). Wait. See how long hens keep laying.
Hens two to three years or older, fewer eggs	Age	Many hens decline after two or three years (Virginia Tech, Oregon State). Estimate what to expect with the egg production calculator.
Fall or winter, the whole flock slows	Short days	Once day length drops below 12 hours, production decreases and frequently stops (Virginia Tech). See supplemental lighting.
Feathers dropping in a pattern, new pin feathers	Molt	Egg production slows and may stop until the molt is complete (Oklahoma State). See molting.
One hen stays on the nest, leaving only once or twice a day	Broodiness	A broody hen stops laying (Arizona, Oregon State). See broody hens.
Hot weather, birds eating less	Heat	Hens eat less in sustained heat; provide shade, fresh water and cooling such as fans or misters (Arizona). See heat stress.
Recent move, handling, new birds, a dog or predator scare	Stress	Limit moves and handling once the flock is settled; changes in flock makeup disrupt the pecking order (Virginia Tech). See adding new chickens.
Lots of scratch or scraps, no oyster shell, a waterer that froze or ran dry	Feed or water	Layer feed, free-choice oyster shell, constant fresh water (Virginia Tech). See feeding laying hens and water for chickens.
Dull or listless birds, watery eyes or nostrils, coughing, lameness, deaths	Disease or parasites	Call an avian veterinarian (Virginia Tech). Use the hen health check and the respiratory disease chart.
Shell pieces or yolk in nests, fewer eggs than expected, free-ranging hens	Eggs eaten, taken or hidden	Collect often and check for hidden nests (Arizona, Virginia Tech). See nest boxes and predators.

Very young or old? Not laying yet, or age decline.
Days under 12 hours? Short days slow or stop laying.
Losing feathers? Molt.
Sitting on the nest? Broodiness.
Heat, fright, moves? Heat or stress.
Treats, no shell? Feed, calcium or water.
Looks sick? Disease or parasites: call a veterinarian.
Eggs vanishing? Eaten, taken or laid in hidden spots.

Drawn by HenClass for henclass.com from Oregon State PNW 565, Virginia Cooperative Extension 2902-1097, Arizona az2186 and Oklahoma State Extension. The order follows the decision table above; a flock can have more than one cause at once.

Age: too young or getting older

Oregon State gives 18 to 20 weeks for the first egg and a peak at about 35 weeks; Arizona notes pullets can look grown at 14–16 weeks before they are ready. Virginia Tech says hens are productive for about two laying cycles, and Arizona that laying becomes sporadic by about age 3 or 4. As hens age, Oregon State adds, molts get longer and more frequent and problems such as egg binding and prolapse appear (see egg binding and vent prolapse).

Day length: how much light sources recommend

Mississippi State explains that lengthening days from December 21 to June 21 stimulate laying and shortening days do the reverse. Sources disagree on the number of hours:

Source	Daily light for laying
Minnesota Extension	At least 12 to 14 hours
Oregon State	Above 12 hours; 14 to 16 hours is typical
Virginia Tech	At least 14 hours; some recommend 16
Arizona	A consistent 14 to 16 hours
Penn State	Never more than 16 hours
Mississippi State	At least 16 hours; 16 to 18 recommended

If you add light, use a timer: Oregon State warns that "even a 1-day lapse can have a negative impact on egg production." Virginia Tech suggests adding it in the morning.

Molt

Arizona says most adult hens molt once a year, often starting between August and October as days shorten, and that pullets hatched in spring or summer will not molt their first autumn. Oklahoma State describes two patterns: late molters lay for 12 to 14 months and then molt quickly, in 2 to 3 months; early molters start after a few months of laying, molt for 4 to 6 months and produce less over their lifetime. Laying resumes once the molt is over (Arizona).

Broodiness

Arizona says a broody spell usually comes in spring and can last 3 to 6 weeks if left alone; its suggested fix is a wire-bottomed crate, or "broody jail," for about 3 to 7 days. Oregon State recommends collecting eggs daily and blocking her access to the nest for several days; Cochins and Silkies go broody often, Leghorns rarely. Georgia Extension adds that hens are more likely to go broody when eggs pile up in a nest.

Feed, calcium and water

Layer feed: complete, with 16% to 18% protein (Virginia Tech); Penn State says all hen mash should contain at least 3.5% calcium and 16% crude protein.
Calcium: free-choice oyster shell in a separate feeder (Oregon State, Virginia Tech). Georgia Extension notes that each egg represents about 10% of the hen's total body calcium.
Treats: Oregon State says to give only what hens finish in 15 minutes, or none; Oklahoma State keeps scratch, grains and scraps to no more than 10% of the diet.
Salt and water: too little dietary salt, or too much sodium in well water, depresses production (Georgia). Lack of food or water is one of the stressors Oregon State lists, and Virginia Tech stresses fresh water when it can freeze (see winter care).

Disease and parasites

Oregon State advises professional help when several birds show similar symptoms. Arizona names infectious bronchitis, avian influenza, fowl pox and Newcastle disease among illnesses that cut laying. Virginia Tech says external and internal parasites need proper diagnosis and treatment (see worms and mites and lice), points to the Association of Avian Veterinarians' vet locator and advises against home remedies. If high mortality suddenly appears, Penn State says to contact a veterinarian and your state department of agriculture right away. Signs that must be reported are on the flock biosecurity page.

Eggs laid but not collected

Collect often: twice a day (Minnesota); soft nest bedding helps against egg eating (Arizona).
Enough nests: at least 1 nest box per 4 hens (Arizona); 1 per 4 to 5 birds (Minnesota).
Look for hidden nests: keep nest boxes clean and add fake eggs; limiting free-range time until mid-morning can bring hens back to the coop to lay (Arizona).
Rule out thieves: predators and snakes take eggs (Virginia Tech).

Is a particular hen laying?

Utah State's David Frame describes a laying hen's comb and wattles as "bright red and turgid" and her vent as soft and pliable, with three to four fingers between the pelvic bones; a non-layer has a shrunken, pale comb, a shrunken, dry vent and one or two fingers. In yellow-skinned breeds, pigment fades from the vent, eye ring and beak during laying and returns about twice as fast when it stops.

HenClass does not give veterinary advice. For sick birds, contact a veterinarian or your county extension office.