This is the classic “where are the eggs gone?” question. It happens every winter and there can be several reasons. Let’s review the most likely ones and what you can do.
Top reasons your hens might stop laying
Shorter daylight hours / winter season
As we go into late autumn and winter, there are far fewer daylight hours. Hens’ egg-production is stimulated by light. In the UK, during winter the hours of daylight drop significantly and this naturally slows or even halts laying.
Moulting
Many hens go through a moult (shedding feathers and regrowing them), especially around late summer to autumn. During the moult their bodies redirect energy from egg production to feather regrowth, so eggs may stop or decrease.
Age and breed
If your hens are older (several years) they will naturally lay fewer eggs. Some breeds also lay less than others.
Nutrition and stress
If diet is lacking in key nutrients (especially calcium, protein) or if the birds are stressed (new additions, predators, weather change, flock changes), laying can drop.
Environment / health issues
Health problems (parasites, disease), extreme cold, or poor housing conditions can all affect laying. Also, broody hens (wanting to hatch eggs) will stop producing.
What can you do about it?
Make sure they are getting good layer feed appropriate for their age and purpose (eggs).
Provide fresh water and supplement calcium (e.g., grit with shell or similar) if egg-shell quality is poor.
Ensure the coop is comfortable, dry and draft-free and the birds feel safe (predators, loud noises, new birds can all cause stress).
You can consider artificial light in the coop to extend the daylight hours (if you really want steady production through deep winter) but many smallholders allow nature to take its course.
Be patient: The good news is as daylight hours lengthen in spring, egg production often naturally picks up again.
My own smallholder experience
Here at East Sussex Smallholders I notice each year that by about December/January the egg count drops fairly sharply. I don’t panic: I check the feed is ok, the coop condition is fine, and I accept that the birds are working less on eggs and more on staying warm and healthy. Then by late winter/early spring there’s a lovely bounce-back.
In summary
Hens stopping laying is very much “normal” in winter thanks to shorter days, possible moult, and lower energy focus on warmth & survival rather than egg production. But it’s always worth checking nutrition, health and environment just in case.
Warmest clucks,
Zoe 🐔
