If you don’t want to wait through a molt, you can cull non-laying birds and replace them. Culling is the removal of birds in your flock that are not laying or developing as they should. If the bird is not sick, it is perfectly suitable for home cooking. You should always cull lame or sick chickens, because they are not productive and may spread disease.

A hen will give many clues that she is no longer laying. Non-laying hens have small, dull combs rather than the bright red combs of layers. Their vents will be small and dry, not stretched by egg production. The width between their pubic bones will be just one finger, not two or more, and the depth between pubic and keel bones will be only a few finger widths rather than four or more. The feathers will be ragged, with no apparent new feathers.

On the other hand, culling may not be an option for less productive or non-productive hens that have endeared themselves as pets, or if your goals are primarily to simply watch and enjoy your birds rather than obtain maximal egg or meat production from them. With good care, many types of poultry can live 20 years or more!

Healthy hens will begin laying at about 18 to 20 weeks of age. It is not necessary for a rooster to be present for egg laying to start, but without a rooster, all eggs will be unfertilized. Hens will be at peak production at about 30 weeks. Excellent production would be considered 80 percent to 90 percent, (100 percent is considered 1 egg per hen per day), but breed, housing, weather, management, parasite load and nutrition can all affect rate of lay.

Eggs should be gathered three times daily, more often in hot weather. Store the eggs at 55oF and 70 percent to 75 percent humidity if you plan to keep them for hatching. Eggs for eating should be refrigerated. Eggs are laid with a protective coating, which helps to keep bacteria out, and it is best if this is not disturbed. Excessive washing can force bacteria through pores in the shell and into the egg, greatly reducing its chance for successful incubation and hatching. If washing is necessary, be gentle and quick, and use only water. Be sure to use water that is warmer than the egg. Dry and cool the eggs as quickly as possible.

Frequent egg gathering serves two purposes: 1) it helps to keep the eggs cleaner and prevents bacterial growth, thus eliminating the need for washing; and 2)
it lessens the opportunity for hens to learn the bad habit of egg eating.