How to Entice Chickens to Lay Eggs

Fresh eggs straight from a hen is a pleasure usually only enjoyed by poultry owners. Full of nutrients and protein, the small enclosed containers of food are a nutritional powerhouse. Chickens lay eggs regardless of whether they are fertilized, as a natural part of their bodies' cycles. However, trauma and other outside factors may sometimes reduce their egg-laying capability. There are several things you can do for your flock to encourage your chickens to lay a normal or abundant amount of eggs.

Things You'll Need

  • Nesting boxes
  • Heat lamps
  • Light timers (optional)
  • Florescent lights (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide comfortable nesting boxes, filled with hay with a depression in the middle, to ensure the hens feel comfortable sitting in them. A safe environment will encourage a chicken to lay eggs.

    • 2

      Place several heat lamps around the nesting boxes. Turn them on to low heat, and ensure that the boxes themselves are warm, in order to entice the hens to lay. This is only needed in colder climates in the United States, once the first frost begins in fall. The heat lamps do not need to be turned on in warm climates with no frost.

    • 3

      Attach the fluorescent lights to timers, setting them to remain on for 12 hours, during normal daylight hours; then to power off overnight. Hang them around an indoor coop in a way that allows them to distribute an even light. This replicates day and night and creates a routine where chickens will lay a consistent amount. This is especially important during the dark months of winter.

    • 4

      Collect every egg in the nests every morning to create a routine. Leaving an egg in the nest may cause the hen to begin trying to hatch the egg, even if it is infertile. This is called brooding, which stops the egg-laying process and is only prevented by frequent egg collection.

    • 5

      Allow a hen to be 16 to 26 weeks old before you begin to expect them to lay eggs. (Reference 2) They may begin early or late, but cannot be expected to lay eggs before this time.