Keeping Laying Hens: What You Actually Need to Know
Laying Hens are an easy choice to keep, known for being calm, easily handled with a typical lifespan of 6–10 years.
Before committing to laying hens, it's worth understanding what day-to-day life with them actually looks like — here's the expanded version of our guide.
Coop and run space
Allow roughly 0.3–0.4m² of coop space per bird for sleeping and laying, plus at least 2m² of run per bird for daytime ranging — more room reduces pecking and stress.
Housing and Setup
Shelter — weatherproof coop with roosting bars and one nest box per 3–4 hens, raised off the ground. Fencing: 1.8m fencing or a covered run — hens fly reasonably well and foxes dig. Bedding — straw or wood shavings in nest boxes, changed regularly to control mites.
Daily Care
Worth paying attention to:
- Let out in the morning, lock in safely at dusk against predators.
- Provide fresh water and layer feed daily; supplement with kitchen scraps and greens.
- Collect eggs daily to discourage broodiness and egg-eating.
- Check for mites, and refresh bedding regularly.
Health Watch-Outs
Keep these points in mind:
- Red mite — infest coop cracks at night; treat the coop, not just the birds.
- Egg drop — moulting, stress, or age; usually resolves on its own.
- Fox/predator loss — the single biggest risk; secure housing overnight is essential.
- Worms — worm periodically as part of routine care.
What You'll Get From Them
Yield: 4–6 eggs per week per hen in peak lay, tapering with age and season. Collection — daily, ideally more than once to reduce breakage and egg-eating. Peak season — spring–summer; lay slows over winter without supplementary light. Storage — unwashed eggs keep several weeks at room temperature, or longer refrigerated.
For the quick-reference printable version of everything above, see the main laying hens guide page.