Eggs & Laying
When the eggs start, how many to expect, and what to do when they stop.
Last reviewed August 2026 · How we source our numbers
Laying is seasonal, age-dependent and easy to misread — a flock that has stopped is usually moulting, short on daylight, or simply older than its best year, and those have completely different answers. These tools cover the arc from a pullet's first egg through peak output to the decline, plus what to do with the eggs once you have more than you can eat.
Calculators (10)
- First Egg CalculatorWhen a pullet of a given breed should start laying.Open tool →
- Egg Production CalculatorEggs per week from a flock — or hens needed to hit a target.Open tool →
- Flock Aging & Laying DeclineWhat output looks like in years two, three and four.Open tool →
- Molting CalculatorWhen the annual moult lands and how long laying pauses.Open tool →
- Coop Lighting CalculatorSupplemental light for winter laying, and the hours to aim for.Open tool →
- Egg Size ConverterUSDA weight classes, and swapping sizes in a recipe.Open tool →
- Egg Storage & Shelf LifeHow long eggs keep, washed or unwashed, on the counter or in the fridge.Open tool →
- Water Glassing CalculatorPreserving a spring glut in lime water for the winter.Open tool →
- Egg Colour & Sex-Link GeneticsWhat shell colour a pairing gives, and which crosses sex at hatch.Open tool →
- Rainbow Egg Basket BuilderPicking breeds for a basket of mixed shell colours.Open tool →
Guides
- Why Did My Chickens Stop Laying?The diagnostic guide — start here before assuming something is wrong.Read guide →
- Chicken Molting: How Long It LastsThe most common reason a healthy flock stops laying in autumn.Read guide →
- Should I Put a Light in My Coop in Winter?The trade-off, including the part the evidence does not settle.Read guide →