How Many Eggs Do Chickens Lay? This May Surprise You!

You may be surprised to know that chickens don’t lay an egg every day. This is because their reproductive cycle is around 24-26 hours long.

There is also a seasonal shift in production, with peaks at summertime when daylight is longest. Chickens need 14-16 hours of daylight to produce eggs regularly, so you might find that your production decreases during winter when there’s less daylight available.

In addition to daylight hours, some hens are more cold-hardy than others. You want to be sure you’re picking the right breed for your local climate.

There are also nutritional considerations, the feed you give your flock and how much calcium they’re getting.

If you’re hoping to have delicious eggs every week we’re going to cover what to expect, how to raise chickens, and what is the best chicken breed for you.

Related article – Winter Care for Chickens

When Will My Chickens Start Laying Farm fresh Eggs, and For How Long?

If you start raising chickens from the chick stage, the average age laying hens start giving eggs is 18-24 weeks. Some will start later but no later than 6 months. Some will start with an egg every few days in the early stages.

When it comes to regularly laying, chickens are pretty predictable. They typically start in the springtime and continue through the summer months. However, there are a few things that can affect when they start and how long they lay.

Once chickens start laying, they’ll continue until it’s time to molt. This first molting period occurs around 14-18 months old.

Molting is when your bird loses her feathers and regrows new ones. This is a time when the bird is also building up healthy nutrients. Molting occurs from here on in about once a year.

This process typically happens in early autumn as the daylight hours begin to shorten. The process of molting and growing feathers back in takes about 8-12 weeks. During this time your bird won’t be laying. Be patient and be sure they’re receiving all the proper nutrition they need.

Be sure to read about the best time to get your baby chicks.

How often do chickens lay eggs?

Chickens are amazing creatures and can lay eggs almost every day! This really depends on a variety of factors, including the hen’s age, diet, environment, and production of breed type

The biggest factor that affects how often chickens produce is the season! A hen tends to lay more eggs when it’s sunny out and less when it’s cold or raining. The amount of daylight hours also plays a large role in egg production-the more light they get, the more eggs they’ll produce.

Do hens lay every day?

There’s no simple answer to this question–it depends on the breed of chicken and other factors such as age, time of year, and health.

Before you bring home your new chickens, be sure to do some research on their breed and what to expect in terms of egg production. For example, the Saphire Gem lays about 290 extra large brown eggs per year. Compare the Golden Polish that only produces about 100 per year of small white eggs. source: Hoover’s Hatchery

Do Roosters Lay Eggs?

No, Roosters are males and do not have the capacity for this function. (Great lesson for teaching children about reproduction)

Can chickens lay without a rooster?

Yes, chickens can lay eggs without a rooster. This is just unfertile and won’t produce any baby chicks.

Fertilized Eggs vs. Non-Fertilized Eggs

There are many differences between fertilized and non-fertilized eggs. For one, if a hen can mate with a rooster, then eggs may be fertilized. Additionally, fresh eggs can easily be consumed whether or not they are fertilized.

You should be gathering your farm-fresh eggs daily. This will eliminate any concern of a fertilized egg becoming a chick with a broody hen.

What time during the day do hens lay eggs?

Hens lay eggs within 6 hours of sunrise. This means that the best time to find eggs is between 6 am and noon. However, environmental factors play a part in the laying schedule too, so there is no set time during the day that hens will lay one egg per day. It’s dependent on their individual schedules and environment.

Can backyard chickens give multiple eggs per day?

While it is possible for a hen to lay two eggs per day, this is actually quite rare. In fact, the average poulet will give you approximately 5 – 6 eggs a week.

If you have 12 hens in your flock, you can expect to get roughly 60 – 72 eggs a week combined. That’s 6 – 7 dozen eggs a week! Keep in mind this is during the warmer, peak sunrise months.

Are freshly laid eggs safe to eat?

Many people are curious as to whether or not fresh laid eggs are safe to eat. The answer is, yes! Fresh eggs are perfectly safe to consume. In fact, the yolk will be a brighter yellow and the egg white will be more opaque than an egg that has been sitting on the store shelf.

Caution: You should still practice safe cooking methods as you would and not consume raw eggs.

Do I Need to Refrigerate my Farm Fresh Eggs?

It’s safe to leave an unwashed egg on your counter (keep in a dark area) for about a week, two weeks in cooler indoor temperatures.

However, it is important to note that once you wash the protective coating off of a fresh egg, it should no longer be considered safe to store at room temperature. This is because bacteria can easily penetrate the porous shell after it has been washed. Instead, fresh eggs should be stored in the refrigerator until they are ready to use. They keep well refrigerated for 3 – 4 weeks.

Learn more about cleaning and storing freshly laid eggs here.

A Few Things to know before you Get Your chickens

What is a dual-purpose chicken?

Dual-purpose chickens are birds bred for both egg-laying and for meat chickens. Male birds grow approx 1-2 pounds larger, check breed specifics before purchasing chicks. One of the better-known meat birds is the Cornish Hens and Jumbo Cross, If meat is what you are looking for in your bird, read up on the different types of dual-purpose birds and meat birds along with their special needs.

Helpful article: Tips for Buying Backyard Chickens.

What is a straight run? What is ‘sexed’?

When you purchase from a hatchery you typically buy as straight run or sexed. Sexed is when professional checks to see if the chick is a male/ female (remember, males/ roosters do not lay eggs) A straight run is when the birds are not sexed and you could get a few males or all males, meaning no egg layers. While a sexed batch could cost a small amount more, it’s well worth your money if egg layers are your priority. Some birds have auto sex and sex link qualities, making them easy to identify the gender of chicks at time of hatching.

Other noteworthy chickens are the hybrid egg production birds ; The Black Star Sex Link, Golden Comet, and ISA Brown chickens.

REASONS HENS STOP LAYING

There are many reasons why your hens may stop laying eggs. Some of the most common causes include:

• Molting. Hens have been laying for 10 months or more and they going into their molting period.
• Water. The hen doesn’t have enough water to drink. Hens need a constant supply of freshly provided water to produce eggs, and if it’s too cold outside or there is a freeze warning, the watering system will shut off and the hens won’t be able to drink. You can purchase waterers that have heaters attached so that the water doesn’t freeze over in winter.
• Stress. If your flock is being tormented by predators stalking nearby they may stop laying.
• Weather. Have you had a stretch of dark, cloudy days? Daylight is a strong factor in production.
• Nutrition. There’s a rule of 90/10 followed by most. 90% feed and grain and 10% snacks make a well-balanced diet. The feed should include protein, calcium, vitamins/minerals/ amino acids. It’s important to give your flock a well-balanced diet so that they can stay healthy and productive. Snacks can include things grass clippings (which also promotes insects, this is nutritious and allows the birds exercise to peck around for them and prevents boredom. Also, garden scraps are great sources of entertainment and some nutrition.
• Seasonal. Hens will also stop laying during the late fall and winter months because of the decrease in light. This is natural for them and usually lasts until early spring. Learn more about helping chickens lay eggs in the winter here.
• Retirement. Yes, that’s right, your bird is getting older and retiring, producing less, or maybe has stopped. The average lifespan of many chickens is 7 – 10 years. As they age you’ll receive fewer eggs per week/ day.

Should I put Artificial Lighting In The Coop?

We don’t advise this. Commercial coops do for mass production capacity. However, backyard chickens are not going to give you the same yield and in keeping with their natural abilities, you’ll have a healthier flock and a more nutritious egg!

Other Chicken Egg Colors; Blue, Green, Speckled

Did you know that not all chicken eggs are white? In fact, there are lots of different colors that eggs can come in. Some of these include blue, green, and even freckled (or speckled). The color of the eggshell has nothing to do with the flavor or texture of the egg inside.

The color of an egg is determined by the breed of the chicken laying it. It’s simply a genetic trait passed down from generation to generation. Chickens, like other species, come in all shapes, sizes, and breeds.

A few of the colored egg layers include Araucana, Easter Eggers, and Olive Eggers.

Choosing the Right Chicken Feed

Just like people, chickens need the right kind of food to stay healthy and productive. Feeding your chickens the wrong kind of food can lead to a variety of problems, from poor egg production to decreased immunity. So, it’s important to choose the best feed for your flock.

Chickens’ food should be nutrient-dense, changing as the pullet does. The right feed is not one-chicken-fits-all. Each stage in a chicken’s life requires a different type of feed.

Talk with your local feed store, they’re the experts and can provide you with everything you need to choose the right feed.

You’re looking for a feed that has a balanced diet of protein, calcium, and nutrient-rich grains.

The Importance of Water

Chickens need access to clean, fresh water at all times in order to produce eggs. In fact, poultry consumes on average twice as much water as feed. When heat stress occurs, the amount of water consumed by poultry doubles or quadruples. Without clean and fresh drinking water, a hen will not be able to produce eggs.

Read more Tips for Raising Backyard Chickens for Beginners here.

How Many Chickens Do You Need For A Dozen Eggs A Week?

When it comes to keeping chickens, one of the most common questions people have is how many hens they need in order to get a dozen eggs a week. The answer may surprise you!

In order to produce about 12 eggs per week, you’ll need at least 10 hens. Of course, this number can vary depending on the breed of chicken and other factors such as space and feed. But if you’re looking to get the most eggs possible, it’s best to stick with this rule of thumb.

Do hens lay eggs in the winter?

Many people are surprised to learn that hens stop laying eggs in the winter. This is because production depends on the length of the day, and since days are shorter in winter, egg-laying decreases. There are ways to improve and promote winter egg production that can be done safely from your own backyard.

Related: Pros and Cons of Raising Backyard Chickens

Duck Eggs vs Chicken Eggs

With an increase in backyard chicken owners, there’s also been a growing number of backyard ducks. Their eggs are larger and creamier. To learn more about raising backyard ducks and their egg production, read this article.

How do chickens make eggs?

This is best described in the video below.

Final thoughts

Whether you’re hoping to raise your backyard breakfast of omelets or scrambled, there’s a feathered breed that’s ready to meet your needs. We’ve highlighted only a few here. You now know how many eggs to expect a day, week, or year. How many years to expect production to continue and just how to care for your flock to get the happiest birds and owners alike.

If you re a new chicken keeper, be sure to read these tips.