In this article I am going to talk about 8 reasons your chickens may not be laying eggs and what you can do!!!!!
You may have been noticing that your chicken(s) haven't layed eggs in a while. This poultry issue is very common, and there are numerous things that can cause it. But, here are the 10 main ones.
1. DIRTY NESTBOX
Your chickens may have a dirty nestbox. This can be caused by bugs and poop from chickens. It can also be caused from the yolks of cracked eggs getting onto the hay/bedding. You can stop this by changing nestbox bedding often so that they have nice, clean bedding.
2. LACK OF SLEEP
Your chickens can stop laying eggs by not getting enough sleep. This can be caused by not having a perch/roost (a long stick that chickens sleep on). It can also be caused by predators roaming around and making noises, which keeps the chickens aware and awake. You can stop this by making sure no predators are roaming around your coop at night (this can be dealt with by a yard dog). And make sure you have a long stick called a perch/roost for your chickens to sleep on.
3. MOLTING
Your chicken can also be molting. This is a process where chickens lose feathers and grow new ones back. Unfortunately, your chickens won't lay eggs while their molting. Why? Because chickens don't have enough energy to grow new feathers back and lay eggs at the same time. It's just to much for them. How to stop it? Actually, you won't. All you have to do to get your chickens to lay eggs again simply is............. LET THEM GO THROUGH IT! It's a totally normal, natural process. They should be back to normal and laying eggs in 2 months or so (it depends on the chicken).
4. TOO YOUNG TO LAY EGGS
Your chicken can stop laying eggs simply because it's too young to lay eggs. Chickens usually don't start laying eggs until their around 10-12 months old. You have to wait for them to lay eggs.
5. TOO OLD TO LAY EGGS
Your chickens may be too old to lay eggs. Your chicken will only lay eggs for you until their around 6 years old. Then, they should stop. From here, you can keep it as a pet, sell it, or eat it. So enjoy those eggs while they last, because they won't last forever.
6. STRESS
One very common cause for chickens not laying eggs is they have stress. Chickens can get stressed a number of ways. They can get stress by kids chasing them, dogs barking at them and so on. Just make sure your chicken seems happy, and stress free.
7. NO QUIET PLACE TO LAY EGGS
Chickens are very picky. You have to make sure their nestboxes are in a safe, quiet "hid out" space. This protects from loud noises, other chickens "talking" and so on. If not, they will probably not lay eggs.
8. EGG BOUND
Another common issue is the chicken could be egg bound. It may sound scary, but there are some natrual ways to cure it. An egg bound hen is a hen that has an egg stuck in her canal, that basically doesn't wanna move. You can make the egg come out by soaking your chicken in warm salt water. Do this for about 5 days. She should be back to normal then!
Hope this article helped!
You may have been noticing that your chicken(s) haven't layed eggs in a while. This poultry issue is very common, and there are numerous things that can cause it. But, here are the 10 main ones.
1. DIRTY NESTBOX
Your chickens may have a dirty nestbox. This can be caused by bugs and poop from chickens. It can also be caused from the yolks of cracked eggs getting onto the hay/bedding. You can stop this by changing nestbox bedding often so that they have nice, clean bedding.
2. LACK OF SLEEP
Your chickens can stop laying eggs by not getting enough sleep. This can be caused by not having a perch/roost (a long stick that chickens sleep on). It can also be caused by predators roaming around and making noises, which keeps the chickens aware and awake. You can stop this by making sure no predators are roaming around your coop at night (this can be dealt with by a yard dog). And make sure you have a long stick called a perch/roost for your chickens to sleep on.
3. MOLTING
Your chicken can also be molting. This is a process where chickens lose feathers and grow new ones back. Unfortunately, your chickens won't lay eggs while their molting. Why? Because chickens don't have enough energy to grow new feathers back and lay eggs at the same time. It's just to much for them. How to stop it? Actually, you won't. All you have to do to get your chickens to lay eggs again simply is............. LET THEM GO THROUGH IT! It's a totally normal, natural process. They should be back to normal and laying eggs in 2 months or so (it depends on the chicken).
4. TOO YOUNG TO LAY EGGS
Your chicken can stop laying eggs simply because it's too young to lay eggs. Chickens usually don't start laying eggs until their around 10-12 months old. You have to wait for them to lay eggs.
5. TOO OLD TO LAY EGGS
Your chickens may be too old to lay eggs. Your chicken will only lay eggs for you until their around 6 years old. Then, they should stop. From here, you can keep it as a pet, sell it, or eat it. So enjoy those eggs while they last, because they won't last forever.
6. STRESS
One very common cause for chickens not laying eggs is they have stress. Chickens can get stressed a number of ways. They can get stress by kids chasing them, dogs barking at them and so on. Just make sure your chicken seems happy, and stress free.
7. NO QUIET PLACE TO LAY EGGS
Chickens are very picky. You have to make sure their nestboxes are in a safe, quiet "hid out" space. This protects from loud noises, other chickens "talking" and so on. If not, they will probably not lay eggs.
8. EGG BOUND
Another common issue is the chicken could be egg bound. It may sound scary, but there are some natrual ways to cure it. An egg bound hen is a hen that has an egg stuck in her canal, that basically doesn't wanna move. You can make the egg come out by soaking your chicken in warm salt water. Do this for about 5 days. She should be back to normal then!
Hope this article helped!
