How to Get a Hen to Lay Lots of Eggs

The DIY movement has extended itself to families choosing to raise chickens for personal egg production, even in urban settings. Backyard barnyards, even with a small number of hens, can produce efficiently enough to keep a family well-stocked in eggs, though several factors may come into play to ensure the hens are laying at full speed.

Instructions

    • 1

      Select a hen from a breed with a reputation for high egg production. For example, Rhode Island Reds, Ameraucanas, Delawares, Leghorns, Orpingtons and Plymouth Rocks are reportedly above average egg layers. Narrow your search further by selecting hens best suited for the weather in your area. Your local feed store or 4-H chapter may be able to help with selection.

    • 2

      Feed your hens well. Relying on cheap, low-quality food may result in minimal to nonexistent egg production. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy suggests feeding hens a high-quality layer ration along with oat supplements to encourage egg production. The ALBC also suggests that ̶0;corn, scratch feeds and oils can reduce or stop egg production.̶1; Adding crushed oyster shells to the feed also increases calcium intake, an essential nutrient for egg development and healthy hens.

    • 3

      Provide plenty of clean drinking water. Chickens require a steady supply of pure, clean water to remain healthy and viable. Check the water supply at least twice a day and change out any water that has become dirty due to hens scratching the floor around the water trough or stepping in it.

    • 4

      Build comfortable and and secure nest boxes. Hens who do not have a quiet, safe place to nest may become stressed to the point of reducing egg production. Nest boxes need to be kept clean and resupplied with fresh bedding frequently. Allow at least one nest for every four chickens in the flock.

    • 5

      Remove eggs often. Eggs left in the nest can break or encourage brooding, a behavior where a hen sits on the eggs in an effort to hatch them. This not only discourages additional egg production but can cause the hen to become stressed and unwilling to leave the nesting box to eat, drink water and exercise properly.

    • 6

      Keep the hens healthy. A healthy chicken produces at a higher rate than a sickly one. Examine your hens regularly for signs of parasites, brittle feathers or slow molting. In the same vein, provide plenty of roosting and exercise space for your hens as crowded conditions may also lead to low egg production.

    • 7

      Retire older hens and replace them with younger ones. Hens tend to lay well within their first one to three years and slow production as they age. When bringing new chickens into the flock, create a new coop and nesting area to reduce stress in the older flock. Older chickens still lay eggs, though usually not as many as younger hens.