Last Updated on February 22, 2024 by AwesomeChickens
If you have recently become the owner of a flock of chickens, you may be impatiently waiting for them to lay eggs. I mean, there is nothing tastier than a breakfast made from farm-fresh eggs laid by your hens the day before. Well, luckily, you will not have to wait too long.
A happy, healthy laying hen will start to produce eggs at around 18 weeks old and, on average, five-to-six more years following. They will only stop in this timeframe if they are unhealthy or molting, or when the colder weather arrives.
If your backyard chicken is uncomfortable, unhappy, or unhealthy, they are less likely to provide you with any eggs. In this article, we are going to dive into what it takes for chickens to lay eggs and what you can do as a chicken owner to help them get through the process.
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How Long Does It Take for Chickens to Lay Eggs?
A new batch of chicks will need to grow to sexual maturity before the hens are physically able to produce any eggs. This usually happens around 18 weeks old. Once they hit this age, they will automatically begin to lay their eggs if the conditions are correct.
How Long Does It Take for an Egg to be Created Start to Finish?
The entire developmental process of an egg will take, on average, between 25-26 hours. This is from the time it starts to form until it is laid.
The process is centered around the daylight hours, which is why it would be very unusual to find a chicken laying eggs at night. The nighttime is usually when the eggs are developing.
What to Expect When Your Chickens Begin to Lay?
Once your chicken begins to lay eggs, it is crucial that you, the chicken keeper, provide them with a proper diet to maintain the energy and calcium they need in order to produce healthy and fully formed eggs.
A great way to provide extra calcium into their diet is by taking previously laid eggs and crushing the shells into tiny pieces. Place the pieces into a separate feeding dish and place it in the pen near their other food dishes.
You are also going to notice that the first few weeks of eggs laid are noticeably smaller than the average egg size. This is common, and they will eventually grow to bigger eggs.
Your chickens will peck at the crushed egg, ingesting their own shells and retaining the calcium stored in it.
How Do You Know Which Chicken is Laying?
If you have noticed a decrease in eggs from your flock daily but are unsure which hens are laying and which are not, here are a few good ways to determine who isn’t producing, and then you can figure out why.
Check the Egg Colors
If you have a variety of birds in your backyard flock, take note of what color eggs are coming in. This is the easiest way to determine who isn’t laying; however, many times, flocks consist of the same breed.
Observe Nesting
Most hens that are laying eggs tend to sit in their nesting box for a few minutes before they lay their eggs. If you can locate a chicken who never seems to frequent the nesting box, they may be the reason for your decrease in eggs.
Check Her Pelvic Bones
A hen that is not laying many eggs will have strong pelvic bones sitting close together. Those that are laying will have bones that are a few inches apart in length, providing enough room for the eggs to pass through.
Why Has My Chicken Stopped Laying Eggs?
Chickens will stop laying eggs for many reasons. Some of these reasons are common and happen to most chickens during specific situations. Other times, it can be due to an illness or an injury. Here is a list of reasons why your chickens may have stopped laying eggs.
Molting
A chicken will molt once a year, usually around the fall months. Molting is a normal, natural way for birds to shed their old set of feathers in order to make way for new ones to grow in. This is a harsh and exhausting ordeal; so many chickens stop laying during this time in order to utilize all their energy.
Molting usually lasts around eight weeks, and once this time is complete, egg production should resume.
Cold Weather
Another reason you may not see many eggs left in the henhouse during the colder seasons is due to the colder temperatures. When the temperature drops, chickens need to work harder to maintain their body temperature; this will cause them to refrain from egg production until the weather warms back up.
If your hens have stopped laying eggs during the winter, they will likely begin production again once spring hits.
Age
On average, hens will stop producing eggs after they hit five-to-seven years of age. Unfortunately, this is typical in poultry, and it isn’t much you can do to increase egg production after this stage.
Dehydration and Malnourishment
Dehydration and a lack of nutrients can be an enormous contributors to hens not having the ability to lay their eggs.
Water is extremely important for egg production; without it, your chicken will become stressed out and can even die.
How to Get Chickens to Start Laying Eggs Again
How to Get Chickens to Start Laying Eggs Again
Change Your Chicken Feed
If your birds are not laying eggs because they are not receiving enough nutrients from their diet, you should consider changing their feed.
Make sure your layer pellets are enriched with plenty of Vitamin D and calcium, along with a good source of protein.
You can also add a variety of fruits and veggies to your chicken’s feeding dish to keep their vitamins in check.
Provide Plenty of Water
Your chickens may need access to more water or fresher water. If their water is too warm or their water containers are too dirty, they may refuse to drink, causing them to become heat stressed or dehydrated. If this is the case, providing access to plenty of fresh water will increase the chances of higher production.
Provide a Safe and Warm Coop
If your chicken has a safe and clean place to lay, it will be more likely to lay eggs. This is why free-range chickens tend to have a better overall count than cooped-up chickens. In addition, chickens who have room to roam are able to find their own spot to lay, which makes them feel comfortable and secure.
To Sum Things up
There is nothing more exciting than having your own egg-producing hens; luckily, it won’t take very long for your little chicks to mature. With the proper amount of care and comfort, your chickens will give you fresh eggs, day after day, for years to come.
