Frequently Asked Questions

How can I stop them? Diets low in protein can encourage egg eating simply because the hens are trying to get the nutrition they need. Make sure your are feeding your flock a good, quality feed, and that you aren't supplementing with too much scratch or corn, or other low protein treats, either. You just don't want to see something like this when you go to gather eggs:The trouble is, once egg eating has begun, it can be very difficult to break the habit. Here are a few tips to try: Collect eggs regularlyTo stop egg eating, collect your eggs regularly. The...

On average, chickens start laying eggs at 6 months old, depending on the breed. Breeds like Australorps, Leghorns, Golden Comets and Sex Links will start laying as soon as 16-18 weeks. Larger, heavier breeds like Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks and Orpingtons will lay anywhere from 6 to 8 months. However, if your birds come into maturity in the fall or winter will sometimes not begin laying until spring: six months is just the average! (We guarantee you that every day past five months that they haven't begun to lay will seem like an eternity!) If your bird is older than eight...

If your hens have a good, "complete" layer feed, they may not ever need oyster shells or any supplemental calcium. However, it never hurts--and it can really help avoid potential pitfalls in a number of ways. Oyster shell is inexpensive and lasts a long time, so it's worth adding to your flock's diet. The reason they may need it is that some flocks that spend most of the day foraging, or are given too many treats, can develop a calcium deficiency, particularly if they are high production layers. If they're eating too many treats, they won't get all the calcium...

First, you should make sure they are on a good chicken feed. Once they have begun laying, switch to layer pellet or crumble; until then, feed them starter or grower. Some people make the mistake of feeding "scratch" only, when scratch is just meant to be a treat. Scratch in particular is mostly corn, which has very little nutritional value to it, and is low in protein. Feeding them scratch only would be like feeding your kids potato chips and corn chips only: it would simply not be very healthy! Second, some breeds do not come into lay until later...

Chickens usually don't simply "stop" laying eggs when they get to a certain age, but they will lay fewer as they get older. That said, most laying breeds will lay more or less productively in backyard terms for five or seven years. (We know of one ancient Buff Orpington cross who still lays an egg occasionally at 17 years old!) There are a number of reasons your chickens might not be laying, so if you suspect there's something more to it than age, have a look at this list of other possible reasons your chickens aren't laying. Debunking the 2-year...

When a hen is broody, that means she wants to hatch her eggs and raise chicks. A breed known for frequent broodiness has hens that often, individually go broody. These hens may not even need eggs to set on to be broody--they may brood in a nest with no eggs. Or in a corner on rocks. Further, if there ARE eggs in the nest, if there is not a rooster in your flock, your hens will not know that their eggs won't be fertile. Your hen will seem to be in a sort of bad temper while she broods, she...

A hen who is ready to lay exhibits the following signs: Her comb will get larger and redder right before she begins laying. She will "squat" submissively when you reach down to pet her. She may get a little louder right before she begins laying, since she is experiencing new instincts, and she may not be sure exactly what they are telling her to do, yet. She may go in and out of nest boxes looking for a safe place to lay. She may try to drive the other hens away from possible nests if she is feeling protective. After...

If your chickens have worms, you will want to treat them. Some signs you can look for at home are pale combs, a drop in laying, and watery poo. However, it does no good to worm your flock--even on a seasonal schedule--unless you know precisely what type of infestation they are suffering from. Keep in mind that particular wormers are only useful for particular parasites, so it is best to get a diagnosis as to which you are addressing. That way you will know which wormer will help their condition. Otherwise, you simply may be stressing their systems out by...

Molting occurs once a year in adult birds older than one year, normally in late summer or autumn. During this time, birds will lose their feathers and regrow new ones. It's a way of refreshing their plumage for the winter so they'll stay warm. There are three types of molts: A hard molt. A hard molt means all the feathers are lost almost at once, so molting is over relatively quickly. A soft molt. A soft molt means the feathers are lost and regrown gradually. Sometimes you may hardly notice a soft molt, except as a reduction in laying. A...

Don't worry, it's common for hens to not lay in the nest box!  "Floor eggs" are nothing to be too concerned about. Having your hens laying eggs on the floor rather than in the nest can be a pain in the neck. You want to be able to easily find all the eggs laid so you can gather them freshly--and you don't want to accidentally step on a floor egg! Some hens even lay eggs under the roosting area, which is just gross, because then the eggs get pooped on in the night. Having your eggs in a dark nest...

Your chickens will probably not be interested in the nesting boxes until it is time to lay. Even then, it may take them a while before they understand what nest boxes are.Some breeds are good about finding nesting boxes very quickly. For instance, Rhode Island Reds and Speckled Sussex are always very good about laying in their nest boxes from the start. By contrast, we find Easter Eggers took longer. And Silkies often refused nest boxes, instead laying eggs in the bedding in a dark corner of the coop. Keep in mind that your Orpingtons may not begin laying eggs...

Some chicken breeds lay year round (save when they go broody). One of our employees who's at a mid-latitude in the US reports that any girls who stop laying during the winter begin again regularly--and surprisingly precisely--on February 1 or 2, about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. If you live in an area where day length doesn't change much, your chickens may begin laying sooner (or never stop). If you live in an area where winter days are very short and cold, they may begin laying again later in the year. While it's the increasing light...

A chicken's reproductive cycle begins with her eyes, or possibly in her skull or even her skin, as one NC State extension article stated: The major environmental cue for control of reproduction is day length. Reception of light for reproductive purposes by the pullet is not primarily through the eyes but rather by the light energy penetrating the skull, skin and feathers and then perceived by an organ within the brain. My brain, you say? Light cues tell your chicken's body whether to release a yolk from her ovaries that will be turned into an egg. Even if the winter...

A lash egg is less of an egg than it is a roughly egg- or sausage-shaped exudate, consisting of thickened pus and other materials. It is probably the grossest egg your hen will ever lay, and will often look like cheesy, bloody strata or other matter arranged in strappy, skin-like layers. You may think she's expelled an internal organ. Ew. Seriously.  If your hen lays a lash egg, it means she is sick with salpingitis, which is an infection of the oviduct. Please take her to a veterinarian immediately.

If your hen lays a lash egg (something you won't soon forget--they're pretty gross!), you can be pretty sure that she has Salpingitis, meaning her oviduct is infected. This is really bad news for your hen and may be fatal, and she could continue to be a carrier even if she recovers! Read more to find out more about this disease: Salpingitis Also called Inflammation of the oviduct, infection of the oviduct Prevalence Common Signs General signs: No or mild signs in adult birds, including lethargy, loss of appetite, drop in laying, yellow poo, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, discharge from nares...

There are a number of possible reasons your chickens are not laying eggs. Let's look at a brief overview of reasons to give you some ideas, and you can click on each possibility for more details and a more in-depth discussion. Reasons your chickens are not laying Your hens may not be laying because they are too young. Your hens may not be laying because they are very old. Your hens may not be laying because it's wintertime. Your hens may not be laying because they're molting feathers. Your hens may not be laying because they're broody. Your hens may...