20 Common Reasons Why Your Chickens Are Not Laying Eggs and Solution

2. Decreased daylight affects egg-laying perfomance:

Just maybe you do not have any idea, but the more the light, the more the eggs.

In our article, poultry farm equipment for starters, we talked about the importance of light on the farm.

The rate at which chickens lay eggs is highly proportional to the number of daylight hours they get.

By nature, chickens need about 12 hours of daylight to maintain their egg-laying ability.

14-16 hours of daylight will keep them at peak production.

And that means more eggs!!!

Solution:

Provide more light.

Beyond nature’s light, it’s important you provide artificial light on the farm.

With this, you can override nature and have your hens lay through the winter months.

A sixty watt light bulb is enough to get them going again.

Keep in mind that chickens lay eggs during the day.

So it’s best to keep the light shining at the beginning of the day rather than the end.

3. Old age may lead to fewer egg production:

One of the reasons why your chickens are not laying eggs is because they are old.

This condition will vary with the chicken breed.

Some breeds will get to old age faster than others.

For instance, the Red Rangers and Golden Comets will only lay eggs for 2-3 years at best.

While the Faverolles, Minorcas and Leghorns will lay consistent for up to 5 years.

Solution:

Sadly, there is no cure for old age.

All you can do is get more of the best chicken breeds for eggs.

4. Salpingitis is a disease that can negatively affect egg-laying:

What is that?

Just before you freak out, Salpingitis is the inflammation of a hen’s oviduct.

What!!!

Yes, it is!

Usually, it’s caused by bacteria which can either be the Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Escherichia coli, Salmonella or Pasteurella multocida.

This is one of the hardest to spot reasons why chickens are not laying eggs yet.

But how do you know?

Chickens with this infection usually go off lay and then start to lay lash eggs.

Trust me you don’t want to see a lash egg.

Very gross!!! It’s a mass of dead tissue and solid pus laid by the hen.

Solution:

Once you find out, let the veterinarian treat it.

Sadly, you only know of this when the hen has laid a lash egg or perhaps died.

5. Predator attacks make chickens to live in fear and affect laying:

It’s quite hard to believe that birds too have emotions.

And when this emotion is hampered, it affects their psychology.

If a hen suffers from a serious scare or predator attack, she will most likely stop laying eggs for a while.

Like humans, birds undergo stress reactions.

And predator attacks make them have this post-traumatic stress reaction which affects their egg-laying ability.

Solution:

If the hen had an injury from the incident, treat it.

Then place the hen in a quiet and dark environment with lots of food and water.

Above all, these chickens suffering from this psychological trauma will need time before they start laying eggs.

6. Malnutrition results in poor egg production:

Next on our list of reasons why your chickens are not laying eggs is malnutrition.

This particular topic is a headache for most farmers.

Often this makes them wonder what do chickens eat?

Now, whenever the term malnutrition comes to mind, you picture skinny starving birds.

But we want to let you know that obese chickens are also malnourished.

Just in a different way this time.

Food is really essential for egg-laying.

To keep your hens laying eggs, they need to be in good shape.

And that means you need to provide them with balanced nutrition.

Solution:

One balanced feed we recommend is the organic chicken feed.

Also, you can make provision for formulated feed. Ensure you feed your flock with feeds supplied by the industry.

Also, you can supplement their diet by giving them treats and mealworms.

7. Hot weather can make your chickens to stop laying eggs:

One other factor that affects the egg-laying ability of chickens is the weather. Hot weather most precisely.

Most birds are cold hardy but they can not tolerate heat.

If the weather becomes too hot for your chickens then they will start to lay fewer eggs.

It’s more like a physiological response to environmental stress.

Usually, the ideal temperature for laying eggs is 65-75°F.

At 85-90°F, the egg size and quality will start to reduce.

Anything above 90°F, the chickens will stop laying eggs.

At over 100°F, death may occur.

Solution:

Although controlling the temperature may be quite impossible, you can provide shade for them.

Also, make the water supply steady and fresh. Station fans, frozen treats and water sprinklers at strategic places to keep them cool.

6. Dehydration is another factor that affects egg laying chickens:

When chickens do not get enough water as and when needed, it can cause a reduction in egg production.

A steady supply of clean fresh water every day (you can use automatic waterers) will keep the chickens laying all week.

Solution:

During winter the water can freeze.

It’s best to heat up their water using heated drinkers.

Also, you can add electrolyte powder to the drinker so that the birds can maintain their electrolyte balance.

Ensure your chickens always have access to freshwater.

9. Overbreeding can reduce egg production on your farm:

When you have just a rooster among the hens, then that is an unpleasant recipe for stress and injury.

Constant harassment from that regular guy can make the hens “lock-up”.

Most times the hens hide from the “bad boy in the block”.

And that affects the rate at which they lay eggs.

Solution:

Variety, they say, is the spice of life.

If this is the case with your chickens, you can make them start laying eggs again by introducing a new rooster.

Every girl looks out for the “new guy in the block” so does the hens.

Also, you can place the rooster on schedule.

Give him one or two days each week to do his duty after which is corralled.

During this period the hens can have time and recover from the harassment of being mated at every opportunity.

10. Stress can be a reason why your chickens are not laying eggs:

Stress may be one of the reasons why your chickens are not laying eggs.

Can chickens become stressed?

Of course, they are. More than you think.

Once they are stressed, they can go off their feed and stop laying eggs.

Here are some things that stress the birds;

• Change of feed
• Predator attacks.
• Change of routine
• Moving to a new coop.
• Overly amorous roosters.
• New additions to the flock
• Too hot and too cold weather.

Solution:

The less the changes the better. Set a routine and stick to it.

11. Parasites affects chicken egg production:

Another factor on our list of reasons why your chickens took a break from laying eggs is parasites.