Ensure your chickens diet is at least 90% made up of layers pellets or layers mash. The most common thing we hear when helping customers establish why their chickens are not laying is "they don't like layers pellets so we give them other food to make sure they are eating enough". Rest assured, when they are hungry they will eat their layers pellets or mash!
Layers pellets/mash have their name for a reason - they give chickens the essential nutrients to lay eggs. Modern hybrids are a different bird to the pure breeds/farm chickens of old, and need a well balanced ration. If you feed any other food to your birds try cutting it out totally and only offering layers pellets or mash - feeding a poor, unbalanced diet is ultimately not the best for you chickens and is not the kindest thing for them. If they must have treats then feed them later in the day when they will have had enough of the healthy layers food.
If your chickens are free ranging check they are not laying in a 'secret place'. If magpies spot the eggs they will take them meaning it can be hard to establish if they are laying elsewhere.
To check if your hens are in lay feel the two sharp bones either side of the hens vent. If you can fit the width of 2 fingers or more between these bones it indicates your chicken is laying.
The next thing is to check that your chickens don't have any lice or mites on them and check the housing for red mite. Are they eating, drinking and behaving normally? Is their comb still red and healthy? Are they showing any signs of illness? Download our HEN HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE & SYMPTOM CHECKER to eliminate all possibilities.
Consider the age of the hens - Hybrids can stop laying or produce eggs with poor shells any time from 18 months onwards, although 2-3 would be a more usual age.
If your chickens are not suffering from any of the above they are probably just having a break from laying. I cannot stress enough that they are not machines, think of them as interesting pets first, and the eggs are a lovely bonus.
