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Chickens are hatched with a set number of eggs for their lifetime. This means that at some point, if they live a long life, they will stop laying completely due to not having any eggs left. So, here are the 5 ways how to tell if a hen is still laying.
The 5 ways to tell if a chicken is still laying eggs are: comb and wattle color, leg and feather color, vent appearance, separation and food coloring.
You may also wonder: Do roosters lay eggs?
Of course, they don’t just go from laying like gangbusters, to not laying at all. When they start and how often chickens lay eggs can depend on a variety of different factors. But typically, you will see a slow decrease over time.
If you have had your chickens for a while and are getting less eggs than before, you might be wondering why. Well, you could have a number of factors at play.
There are, of course, other causes of decreased egg production that actually are chicken health issues. However, it may well be because a chicken is simply no longer laying.
How long do chickens lay eggs? Chickens typically lay well for the first 2 or so years and slowly decrease. Most stop laying by 5 – 6 years of age.
Keep reading below to find out the details on how to identify the signs your hen has stopped laying eggs.
Here are 5 ways to tell if your chicken is still laying:
1) Comb & Wattles
A hen that is still laying will have bright red comb and wattles, while a hen that is no longer laying will have a paler and shrunken appearance.
2) Legs & Feathers:
A hen that is still laying will be lacking in color in her legs. And a hens that is still laying will have feathers that tend to look a bit more disheveled. This is because she is using all of her nutrition to put towards egg production and not “looking pretty”.
Keep in mind that chickens do molt at least once a year and this will usually cause them to stop laying for a period of time. But they should start back up once their molting is over.
It is important to keep track of your chickens so that you can tell the difference between molting, dull feathers or some other issue.
So, if you have a hen that is starting to look bright and fancy again, you might consider that is a chick that is no longer laying eggs.
3) Vent:
A hen that is still laying will have a large, moist vent. (Ya know, because she has to squeeze out eggs every day!) You should be able to fit about three fingers between her pubic bones.
A hen that is not laying will have a dry, small vent and her pubic bones will be much closer together.
Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.
4) Separation:
Of course, looking at a hens appearance can give you good indications on if she may still be laying. However, it won’t give you a definite answer.
If you have the space, you can also always separate a hen for a few days to her own area to see if she produces any eggs. What we do is use a dog crate and give her food and water for a few days. This really a sure fire way to know if a chicken is still laying eggs or not.
5) Food Coloring:
You can also put a dot or two of food coloring on a hens vent, that way when she lays you should see some of the coloring on her eggs.
Do you have anything you look for to tell if your chickens are still laying? If so, let us know in a comment below.
If you need more help with taking care of your chickens, check out The Organized Chicken Keeper for a complete system for managing their health through keeping their supplies stocked and coop clean.
Bonnie says
I haven’t gotten eggs in over 2 months. My chickens still look the same as when they were laying. My neighbor is having the same issue. I have Buff Orpingtons. How old are they when they stop.
MrAnimal Farm says
Hi Bonnie,
Typically hens can lay eggs for around 5 years. Of course, they will not lay as well as they get older. Hens who laid 5 eggs/week may decrease to 1 egg/week or less as they age. 2 years of age is usually the time you can start to see a drop in production due to age. My guess is that you are seeing a decrease in egg production due to them coming out of molt and now going into decreased light each day. When they molt in the Fall they can stop laying for a while. Then winter hits and daylight decreases and that can also halt their production (they need a certain number of hours of light to produce eggs). You can check out our other article on decreased production for some additional details: http://www.mranimalfarm.com/7-causes-decreased-egg-production-chickens/
Some people like to let their chickens rest over molting and winter since they do have a set number of eggs in their lifetime. However, others will encourage them to keep producing (this does shorten their overall laying life). It is really just a personal choice. If you would like them to start producing for you again, you may try using a light and timer in their coop so that they get the required number of light hours per day. Also supplementing feed with some high protein can help too 🙂
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks,
Kristin
Deb says
I haven’t thought to try the food color on the vent, it will help me determine who is laying the funny shaped eggs!
Lori says
Hi Bonnie
I have 6 hens. All of different ages. They all stopped laying at once. It has been about two and a half weeks with no eggs. I’m giving them protein and laying Mash. I have to stop letting them free range because I couldn’t find any eggs. They have plenty of room to run it outside in their pens and plenty of sunshine and fresh water. I have had two hens for 4 years three hens for two years and two hens for one year. Some of the younger ones should still be laying I would think