04/11/2026
I get asked a lot. Why are my chooks not laying? This is not always an easy answer. It comes down to a few things.
First of all, what are you feeding? Yes, feed has a massive part to play in getting the end result of eggs from your poultry. I always ask this first because 90% of the time, a small adjustment to your feeding can make a world of difference. What do I recommend? For starters, get rid of those muesli based feeds. Not only do they contain high levels of sugars and fats, they also lack what protein you need for your hens to produce an egg. Chooks need at least 16% protein (meat protein is the best) to produce this. Giving dog roll and other goodies is great, but you need to look at what your protein source really is. The best way to get added protein is by giving a good high protein feed. We feed Sharpes' Hi-lay and Sharpes meat bird crumble here. The hi-lay has 17% protein, so it's a good maintenance feed, but if your hens are lacking in protein them meat meal at 20% protein is amazing. We are lucky in Rotorua to now be able to get this at Pgg Wrightsons and Farm Source.
How do you know your hen is lacking in protein? There are a few signs. Feather eating, egg eating, and feather loss can all be signs. Using your protein at this time is always a good start.
Ok, so there are other reasons. Do you have mites? Lice? Worms? Parasites can be another big reason your hens aren't laying. Do you have a regular treatment system. When are you doing it? If not. You may need to start. Every season here, we go through and worm our flock. Every bird that comes in also gets wormed. They also get a lice treatment. This is all because when you have parasites, you are not a happy camper, and it can cause a whole lot of other problems, even the death of your birds. So please check that out as another option.
How clean is your coop? Hens love a clean rodent and Parasites free coop. If they have bugs and rodents running around, it makes for a stressful egg laying situation. Your girls may choose just not to lay. If they are laying somewhere else or not going into their house at night, you may have found your issue. Cleaning out your coops should be your first point of call. Spraying it out with a good, chook friendly disinfectant and lining the floor in lime before putting in new bedding can help a lot.
Weather can also be a problem. Not enough sun, too much rain, to cold. Yes, these all play a part in egg production. Hens need 12 hours of daylight to lay an egg. This is why they can go off the lay during winter. But it's healthy for them to do this also as it's a restart to their systems as come spring they go back into the lay with lovely new feathers and fresh look on life.
I can think of a lot more reasons, but these are the key points for now. Please remember these: protein, parasites, cleaning and weather as your first things to check.
