Do Laying Hens Lay All Year?

Many newbie chicken keepers will wonder if they can gather eggs from their hens all year. The good news is, with proper conditions, your hens are capable of laying eggs in the winter. There are a few things to take into consideration if you would like fresh eggs year round. Chickens, like most birds, normally would not lay eggs all year. But you can trick their bodies into thinking it's summer by keeping a bright light in their coop in the winter. I have 2 lights in mine. A heat lamp and a red bulb. Hens need approximately 15 hours of light each day to keep their reproductive system active.