Nothing is more exciting for a new chicken owner than looking into the nest box and seeing the first egg. This is why we decided to get chickens in the first place: it’s finally starting! There’s also nothing more unsettling than when they stop laying eggs all of a sudden.
People who keep chickens in their yards often worry that something bad might be wrong with them. Stopping to lay eggs can be a sign of health problems, but most of the time it’s just something less serious.
Let’s look at the most common reasons why your hens aren’t laying eggs and what you can do to help.
If hens don’t get good food and clean water, they stop laying eggs right away. Egg production can’t happen without a lot of clean water. You need to give your birds the right food and water. For your birds to lay an egg every 24–26 hours, they need to eat a lot of protein. You might want to start a chicken garden.
What to do?
You should give your flock clean water that you change often. Make sure they can get water both inside and outside of the coop. When your hens start to lay eggs, feed them a good layer crumble or pellets to make sure they get enough protein. Give chickens snacks that are high in protein, like black soldier fly larvae or pumpkin seeds. Don’t forget to give them something with calcium in it, like oyster shells.
