Why Have My Chickens Stopped Laying Eggs in Summer?

May 13, 2025

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Excess heat, less nutritional intake, and other health-related stress can reduce frequency of laying in chickens.

Providing a balanced diet, cool water, and a stress-free environment can help restore healthy egg production.

Summer is often seen as prime egg-laying season for backyard chickens—longer daylight hours and warm temperatures should encourage peak productivity

So when your hens suddenly stop laying in the middle of a sunny July, it’s confusing and frustrating.

If your coop has gone quiet, you’re not alone. There are several reasons chickens stop laying eggs in summer, ranging from heat stress to dietary imbalances and even natural biological cycles.

Let’s break down the possible causes and what you can do to get those eggs rolling again.

Why Have Your Chickens Stopped Laying Eggs in Summer?

It’s the middle of summer, the days are long, and your hens should be laying at their best. So what gives?

While it might seem like a mystery, there are several common reasons chickens take a break from laying during the hottest months.

From heat stress to nutrition issues and natural cycles, let’s uncover why your flock may be on a summer egg strike.

1. Heat Stress and High Temperatures

Chickens are surprisingly sensitive to heat. When summer temperatures soar, your hens may stop laying eggs altogether. Heat stress affects their overall health and disrupts the hormonal balance needed for egg production.

Signs of heat stress include panting, holding wings away from their bodies, reduced movement, and a pale comb. When the body focuses on staying cool, non-essential functions like egg production take a backseat.

What you can do:

Provide plenty of fresh, cool water at all times.
Offer shade in the run with tarps, umbrellas, or natural cover.
Improve coop ventilation or install a fan.
Freeze fruits and veggies for treats (e.g., frozen watermelon or corn).
Avoid overcrowding and make sure your chickens have enough space to cool off.

2. Molting Cycle Surprise

Although molting typically occurs in fall, stress-induced or irregular molting can happen in summer—especially after a heatwave or predator scare. During molt, hens lose old feathers and grow new ones, which requires a lot of protein and energy, pausing egg production temporarily.

What to look for:

Patchy or full-body feather loss.
Dull feathers and a messy appearance.
A drop in activity and appetite.

How to help:

Switch to a high-protein feed or add protein-rich snacks (mealworms, scrambled eggs, fish).
Limit handling to reduce stress during this sensitive period.
Ensure clean, safe, and quiet resting areas to aid recovery.

3. Poor Nutrition or Imbalanced Diet

A well-balanced diet is essential for egg production. If your chickens are filling up on treats or kitchen scraps instead of layer feed, they might not be getting enough calcium, protein, or other nutrients. Summer forage can also be lower in nutrition if the vegetation dries out.

Nutritional red flags:

Thin or soft shells before laying stops.
Feather pecking (can indicate protein deficiency).
Hens seem full but don’t lay.

Solutions:

Feed a high-quality layer pellet with at least 16% protein.
Provide crushed oyster shell or limestone grit for calcium.
Limit treats to no more than 10% of their daily intake.

4. Dehydration or Inadequate Water Supply

Chickens can drink up to double their usual water intake in hot weather. If they don’t have access to clean, fresh water at all times, even for a few hours, it can disrupt laying. Dehydration affects kidney function and the reproductive system.

Tips to stay hydrated:

Refill waterers twice daily and clean them regularly.
Use shallow pans or add ice cubes to keep water cool.
Place multiple water sources around the run to reduce competition.

5. Parasites and Health Issues

External parasites like mites and lice, or internal worms, become more active in summer. These pests drain your hens’ energy and nutrients, leading to stress and decreased egg production. If laying stops and your chickens seem lethargic, it may be time to investigate further.

Watch for:

Pale combs or wattles.
Ragged feathers or excessive preening.
Droppings with worms or blood.

Action plan:

Regularly check for mites, especially around the vent area.
Dust with food-grade diatomaceous earth or poultry-safe treatments.
Deworm with approved medications if needed (consult a vet or farm supply expert).

6. Broodiness in the Heat

Some hens go broody in the summer and stop laying because they’re trying to hatch eggs—even if there are no eggs to sit on. During this phase, they’ll puff up, sit in nesting boxes all day, and may peck or squawk when approached.

How to handle it:

Remove the hen from the nest frequently.
Block off the nesting area temporarily.
Place her in a “broody breaker” cage for a few days—wire-bottom with ventilation to cool her underside and break the hormonal cycle.

7. Disruption in Daylight or Sleep

Chickens rely heavily on light to regulate their laying cycles. Even though summer days are long, disruptions to their natural light exposure—such as being locked in the coop too long, excessive artificial light at night, or frequent disturbances—can confuse their bodies and pause egg production.

Prevent this by:

Letting chickens out early enough to catch morning sun.
Ensuring the coop is dark and quiet at night.
Avoiding constant lighting, which can interfere with rest.

8. Predator Stress or Environmental Changes

If your hens have recently been spooked by a predator (even if no attack occurred), or if you’ve changed their coop or routine, they may go off-lay. Stressful events affect their sense of security and can shut down egg production until they feel safe again.

What to do:

Secure the coop and run with hardware cloth.
Minimize loud noises or sudden changes in their environment.
Spend calm, routine time with the flock to restore trust and stability.

9. Age and Laying Cycle

Finally, if your hens are older—typically past 2-3 years—their laying naturally slows down. In hot summer weather, the combination of age and seasonal stress may halt eggs entirely until cooler months arrive.

Consider:

Tracking age and laying records if you keep a mixed-age flock.
Rotating in new pullets each year to maintain consistent egg production.

Understanding the Egg-Laying Cycle

The egg-laying cycle begins when a hen reaches maturity, usually around 18–22 weeks old. At this point, her reproductive system starts producing eggs regularly, often one every 24–26 hours.

Each egg starts as a yolk in the ovary, which travels down the oviduct while layers of albumen (egg white), membranes, and shell form. This process takes about a day per egg.

Laying is influenced by daylight—hens need about 14–16 hours of light daily to maintain steady production. In summer, natural sunlight supports this rhythm, while winter may slow it down.

After a period of laying, hens may pause for rest, molt, or due to age, stress, or health factors. These breaks are normal and allow the body to recover.

Over time, egg production naturally declines as hens age, with most laying fewer eggs after 2–3 years, though some may continue sporadically for years.

How to Improve Egg Production in Chickens?

Summer should be a productive season for egg-laying hens, thanks to longer daylight hours and ample foraging opportunities. But when temperatures soar, your flock may lay fewer eggs or stop laying altogether.

Thankfully, with the right care and adjustments, you can help your chickens stay comfortable, healthy, and productive even during the hottest months.

Here’s a detailed guide on how to improve egg production in chickens during summer.

1. Combat Heat Stress

High temperatures can significantly reduce or halt egg production, as hens divert energy toward cooling down rather than laying.

How to Help:

Provide Shade: Ensure your coop and run have shaded areas using tarps, trees, or shade cloth.
Ventilate the Coop: Improve airflow with windows, vents, or safe fans to keep indoor temperatures down.
Cooling Treats: Offer frozen fruits (like watermelon or berries) and chilled vegetables to help regulate their body temperature.
Misting Systems: Light misting can cool the area, but avoid soaking the chickens, as wet feathers can cause other health issues.
Avoid Overcrowding: Give each bird enough space to move and cool off comfortably.

2. Ensure Constant Access to Clean, Cool Water

Dehydration is one of the fastest ways to disrupt egg production. Chickens drink more in the summer, and warm water can be unappealing.

Tips for Summer Hydration:

Refill Waterers Often: Refresh water at least twice a day, especially in extreme heat.
Use Shaded Water Stations: Keep waterers out of direct sun to prevent heating.
Add Electrolytes: Use poultry-safe electrolytes during heatwaves to replace lost minerals and support hydration.
Multiple Water Sources: Prevent dominant hens from monopolizing water by placing several containers around the run.

3. Adjust Their Diet for Hot Weather Needs

In summer, hens may eat less due to the heat, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies affecting egg production.

Feeding Guidelines:

Quality Layer Feed: Stick to a high-quality layer feed with 16–18% protein and adequate calcium.
Boost Protein: Supplement their diet with protein-rich treats like scrambled eggs, black soldier fly larvae, or mealworms, especially if they’re molting.
Offer Calcium: Provide free-choice access to crushed oyster shell to support strong eggshell formation.
Limit Treats: Keep scratch grains and kitchen scraps to under 10% of their diet to ensure they consume enough balanced feed.

4. Keep Stress Levels Low

Chickens are sensitive creatures. Stress from predators, changes in routine, or excessive noise can disrupt laying.

How to Minimize Stress:

Protect the Coop: Use hardware cloth, secure latches, and motion lights to keep predators at bay.
Maintain Routine: Try to keep a consistent feeding and cleaning schedule.
Quiet and Calm: Avoid loud activities near the coop and handle birds gently.
Reduce Broodiness: If a hen goes broody, discourage prolonged nesting by removing her from the box or using a broody breaker cage.

5. Check for Health Issues and Parasites

Illness, worms, mites, or lice can stress hens and lower their productivity. Summer is prime time for parasite outbreaks.

Preventive Care:

Inspect Regularly: Look for signs like pale combs, messy feathers, or reduced appetite.
Deworming: Consider routine deworming based on your vet’s recommendation or signs of internal parasites.
Mite & Lice Control: Dust with diatomaceous earth or poultry-safe sprays, especially in hot weather when infestations spike.
Quarantine New Birds: Always isolate new flock members for a couple of weeks to prevent disease spread.

Also Read: How to Help My Chickens Grow Feathers Back?

6. Keep Nesting Areas Cool and Inviting

If hens don’t feel comfortable in the nesting boxes, they may lay elsewhere—or not at all.

Make Nesting Areas Appealing:

Cool and Shaded: Position nest boxes away from sun-facing walls or add insulation to keep them cool.
Clean and Fresh: Change bedding regularly to avoid odors and pests.
Ventilation: Allow airflow around nesting boxes without creating strong drafts.

7. Support Natural Laying Cycles

Even in summer, some hens naturally slow down due to molting or age. While this is normal, you can support them during this time.

Support Measures:

During Molt: Feed a high-protein diet and minimize handling. Molting hens won’t lay but need nutrients to regrow feathers.
For Older Hens: Accept that productivity will drop after 2–3 years. Consider adding new pullets annually to keep a steady egg supply.
Track Laying Patterns: Keep a simple log of who lays and when—it helps identify drops in production early.

Conclusion

If your chickens stop laying eggs in summer, it’s usually a response to environmental stress rather than a serious health issue.

Excessive heat, dehydration, poor nutrition, molting, or even emotional stress can all contribute to a decline in egg production.

Fortunately, most of these issues are manageable with a few adjustments in care. By providing shade, fresh water, a balanced diet, and a calm, clean environment, you can support your hens through the heat and help them return to regular laying.

Stay observant, responsive, and patient—your flock will reward you when conditions improve.

Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. Join him on this blog as he shares his experiences in homesteading, gardening, and composting