Why Did My Chickens Stop Laying Eggs? 9 Real Reasons

Why do chickens either slow down or stop producing eggs entirely there’s a lot of different answers to that question so today we’re going to talk about nine reasons your chickens aren’t laying eggs.

It’s important to find out why your chickens aren’t laying eggs that way we can better understand how to get them laying eggs again.

We’re going to start out with some straightforward and relatively easy reasons to fix, but then I saved number nine for last because it’s the most common reason that your chickens aren’t laying eggs and there’s a whole lot to be said about it.

😨 Reason #1: Stress Can Stop Everything

Let’s go ahead and jump into reason number one and that is stress. Stress can be a huge trigger for your chickens to stop laying eggs. Stress can come in a whole lot of different forms.

One of those would be let’s say a predator attack. Let’s say you had a raccoon or a fox or something get into your coop or even try to get into your coop and it really stressed your chickens out — that can stop your chickens laying for months at a time.

Other things could be even just a small change in the coop. If you get in your coop and really clean it out really well, that could stress your chickens out enough to make them stop laying eggs.

Or maybe you moved, Or maybe you have a lot of city sounds in your neighborhood and it’s new to them. Maybe a change in temperature — whether that be hot or cold — extreme in either direction will make them stop laying.

And another big one would be new chickens in the flock. A new chicken in the flock can really stress the birds out. Any of these things could stress your birds out enough to make them stop laying for however long they’re stressed out.

So if your chickens aren’t laying eggs right now, think back to when they stopped. Was there a triggering moment or any kind of event that might have stressed them out?

A lot of times these aren’t things that you can really fix. I mean, you can make their home as peaceful and stress-free as possible, but there’s not really a whole lot you can do other than just give them some space and let them chill out and calm down a little bit and relax. Let them work through it.

⏳ Reason #2: Age Makes a Big Difference

The number two reason is going to be their age. Your hen’s best year of laying is going to be their first year. Your hens are getting older — you’re going to see a decrease in production.

It might only be 10–20% a year, but over time that’s going to add up. And if your flock is all the same age, you’re really going to see a decrease in your egg production by the time they are five, six, seven, eight years old.

One thing you can always do — if you have the space — is get one or two chicks every single year to add to your flock. That’s going to keep that younger population of chickens in your flock to keep giving you eggs.

We do that here every year. Especially for the kids, we get a couple chicks and that way we keep having our eggs coming no matter how old the rest of our hens are.

🏥 Reason #3: Sickness or Injury

If a chicken is sick or injured it is not going to be producing eggs — and rightfully so.

Same as you when you’re under the weather, chickens don’t want to exert themselves. If the chicken is sick or injured in any way whatsoever, they are most likely not going to be laying eggs.

So if you see a decrease in egg production, it’s a good time to go through your flock and check their health. Look for signs like feather loss (outside of molting), tiredness, dull or goopy eyes, ruffled feathers, droopy wings, and limping. These are all red flags.

🥚 Reason #4: Hidden Eggs

Sometimes, you might think your birds aren’t laying — but they actually are. They’re just hiding their eggs from you!

If they find a spot they like (behind a feeder, under the coop, corner of the yard), they’ll keep laying there. It becomes an Easter egg hunt!

To stop this, clean out the nesting boxes regularly, add soft bedding, and consider placing real eggs in the boxes to teach them where to lay.

Also, keep your coop door closed in the early morning to encourage them to lay inside.

🐣 Reason #5: Broody Hen in the Coop

A broody hen can lead to a drop in egg production — not just from her, but sometimes from others too.

She’ll sit on the eggs and refuse to get up, pecking at you if you try to move her. She’s focused on hatching, not laying. Removing eggs often, relocating her, or even separating her can help. But if she’s not interfering with other hens, maybe just let her be a mama. It usually only lasts 21 days.

🥬 Reason #6: Poor Nutrition

Food plays a huge role. If a hen doesn’t have what she needs in her diet, she literally cannot form an egg.

A good feed should be high in protein (16–20%), packed with omega-3s, probiotics, and most importantly, calcium. Crushed oyster shells help build strong shells. We also love to give ours black soldier fly larvae for an extra protein and calcium boost, especially during colder months.

💧 Reason #7: Lack of Water

Even going a few hours without water can make chickens stop laying eggs. Water is critical — especially in winter, when it can freeze.

Use shallow dishes, heated bowls, or check regularly to make sure water is fresh and unfrozen. Chickens need hydration for proper egg production. No water, no eggs — simple as that.

🍂 Reason #8: Molting Season

When molting kicks in — usually in late summer or early fall — your chickens drop their feathers and stop laying eggs.

All their energy is redirected to regrowing feathers, not egg-making. The first time it happens, it’s alarming. You’ll think a predator attacked — feathers everywhere! But it’s normal. Once their feathers are back, egg-laying resumes.

🌅 Reason #9: Shorter Daylight Hours

This is the most common reason your chickens aren’t laying eggs — shorter days.

Chickens need around 14–15 hours of daylight to lay eggs consistently. As days shorten in fall and winter, egg production drops.

You can add supplemental lighting (on a timer before sunrise), but remember: birds naturally rest during winter. Forcing them to lay may not always be the best idea unless you truly rely on eggs as a food source.

🐥 Final Thoughts

Every chicken keeper faces slowdowns in egg production. Whether it’s stress, age, cold, or molting — it’s part of the journey.

But with care, observation, and a little patience, your girls will be back to business soon. 🧺🥚

If you found this helpful, stick around — there’s always more to learn with backyard chickens!