page contents
Home » Raising Chickens » The Hens are Laying Daily – Or Almost

The Hens are Laying Daily – Or Almost

29 April 2011

Sweetpea sitting on eggs.

A few of our hens are laying nearly every day now. The best layers are the Buff Orpington and the Barred Rock. The hens are two years old now, “Chicken Prime”. This is the peak of their laying career. The eggs are large. Actually, it will probably be downhill from here as egg production slows as they grow older. I’ll be happy with a couple of eggs a week from each hen. Regardless of how long they lay, they will have a life with us here in Cambria.

A chicken has a life span of 5-7 years. At about 20 weeks of age they begin laying. For approximately two years they’re at their best, laying 4-7 eggs a week, depending on the breed, the season of the year, and the climate. They lay best when the days are long. In the wild, a chicken will lay a clutch of eggs (up to 30), then stop and sit on the eggs to keep them warm. We refer to a setting hen as one that is “broody”. The eggs will hatch around the 21st day. Egg ranches get more eggs than a backyard “chicken wrangler”. Egg farmers manipulate egg production by keeping lights on all night. Hens will continue eating and laying at a faster rate. These poor hens seldom live a long life. They are “spent” and die after a year or two of this pressure to produce, thus, they die young and their meat is used in commercial chicken soup.

A hen will lay up to 900 eggs in their lifetimes. I’ve heard of an Australian hen laying 370 eggs in a year but that is unusual. Our hens have stopped laying periodically. Sweetpea and Poppy have both gotten in the “reproductive mood” and stopped laying for a few weeks. They became “broody”. They don’t want to leave the nest boxes but their eggs are not fertile (no rooster there to do the job) and it is useless letting them sit on eggs. Also all of the girls have gone through a yearly “molt” where they lose their feathers and grow new ones. During this time, the hens have stopped laying for a period of about a month.

It is an interesting concept this whole backyard chicken thing. Economically, the hens pay for themselves by producing eggs that pay for their feed. I love the freshness of the eggs, the orange yolks, the firm egg whites, and the fresh taste of their eggs. I love watching the hens, too. They have their own little “society” all contained in a small area of our garden. They were raised there, that is all they know. I enjoy sharing this experience with others and hope that some of you will be inspired to keep a few hens of your own.

Raising Chickens , , , , , ,

6 Comments to “The Hens are Laying Daily – Or Almost”

  1. Marta CrockerJune 16, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    The pics of your hen are beautiful! I bought 3 barred rock pullets at the end of Feb. They have grow great. Recently 2 of my so called pullets have started to crow- 1 on a regular basis and 1 once in a great while. Neither have spurs at this point. Are they both roosters?. I have heard that a hen will crow in the absence of a roo- is that true? I would GREATLY appreciate help before I make the decision to get rid of one of them and it be a mistake. Can you tell me a sure fire wat of knowing the sex?

  2. LeeJune 17, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    I’ve heard that the only sure-fire way of knowing the sex of your chicks is when they crow or lay an egg. But you should also see physical differences like a larger comb and waddles that are redder than that of the pullet’s. Yes, once in a while a hen will take on the role of a rooster and begin crowing and looking like a rooster. They are called “henroos”! If you google “henroo’ you’ll see pictures of them. I’d wait to be sure you have roosters before you do anything drastic. Petunia, crowed twice in her lifetime, then never did again. Good luck!

  3. ANNA gJuly 10, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    Please where can I buy the best laying hens?I live in QLD Australia in town Maryborough.Thank you for your answer.Have a nice day.Anna.

  4. LeeJuly 11, 2011 at 5:06 am

    Hi Anna! Not sure about where to get hens in your area. We are a long way from Australia. Maybe someone will see this post and help you out. I see ads on Craig’s list for hens here in California. Sometimes people get them and have neighbors complain so have to get rid of them so will look for a new home. Local farmers may sell them to you. Be sure you get young hens or pullets that have not started laying yet. You can also raise chicks but it is takes 5 months for the chicks to grow up and begin laying. If I were you, I’d go to the local feed store and ask them who in your area has chickens. It’s a good place to start. Good luck to you and your new project!

  5. GraceAugust 3, 2011 at 12:34 pm

    My chicks were purchased on March 26 of this year. We were told that they would begin laying on or about their 22 week. Not all of them are laying (we have 6)Two of them who are actually laying eggs I discovered today are now missing their feathers and are really red,and swollen from pecking them out on their backs towards their tails. What causes this and what can I do to help- Im desparate for an answer Im new at this.
    Is this something that happens when they begin to lay?

  6. LeeAugust 3, 2011 at 7:01 pm

    Gosh, it’s awful to see your beautiful hens pecked, isn’t it? I don’t think it has anything to do with laying. Read my blog entries for June on the pecking that went on in my coop. Christina made a reply in one of them and had some sites that were helpful to me. She also suggested feeding the hens tuna and unprocessed sunflower seeds. See that comment. I followed those suggestions and it really helped. It takes a long time for feathers to grow back. Sometimes they have a bare spot until they molt and all the new feather grow in together. The thing that is really dangerous is when they peck and draw blood. Then the hen has to be kept separate until it heals. I feel bad for you. It makes me sick when they are cruel to each other. I had to find another home for my worst “pecker”. Things have quieted down since then.
    Best of luck to you. Don’t give up. It will get better.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.