A question that’s largely dependent on the care and breed of laying hen, we’ve outlined some major questions to consider when it comes to answering this question! The short answer, our data shows about 260 eggs in a year, and 500 in a lifetime! All of those numbers are subjective though– read on to know why!.
Chickens are amazing egg-laying machines. During her lifetime, a single hen can lay hundreds of eggs. But how many eggs can chickens lay? That depends on a number of things. We’ll talk about how many eggs chickens lay and what affects their egg production in this article.
Typical Egg Production
Once a chicken is 20 weeks old, it will usually lay one egg every day. This goes on until the hens are about two to three years old. In their first year of laying eggs, a hen will make about 260 eggs. After that, each year’s egg production slowly goes down.
Different breeds of hens lay different numbers of eggs over the course of their lives. A hen will usually lay between 500 and 600 eggs over the course of her life. However, some breeds of chicken are better layers and can lay up to 800 eggs. The most eggs that a single chicken has laid in her whole life is currently 1 444 eggs!
Factors That Impact Egg Production
Several things influence how many eggs a chicken will lay including
-
Breed – Some breeds are genetically better layers, like Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, and Leghorns.
-
Diet – Chickens need quality feed with enough protein, calcium, and nutrients. Free-ranging chickens may lay fewer eggs if they don’t get balanced nutrition.
-
Light: When there are 14 to 16 hours of daylight, chickens lay more eggs. Egg production declines in winter with fewer daylight hours.
-
Age – Chickens lay the most eggs their first 2-3 years, then production declines as they age.
-
Health issues – Sick chickens or those with parasites will lay fewer eggs.
-
Molting – Chickens stop laying eggs for 1-2 months when they molt and grow new feathers.
-
Broodiness – A broody hen will stop laying to sit on eggs to hatch them. This pauses egg laying for weeks.
-
Stress – Stress from predators, overcrowding, or moving to a new home can temporarily reduce laying.
-
Extreme heat or cold – Temperature extremes sometimes cause dips in egg production.
Maximize Egg Production
Here are some tips to help your chickens lay as many eggs as possible:
-
Choose productive breeds known for high egg yields.
-
Provide a high-quality layer feed with 16-18% protein.
-
Give free choice calcium like oyster shell grit.
-
Ensure 14 hours of daylight with artificial lighting.
-
Discourage broodiness by collecting eggs often.
-
Reduce stress and overcrowding in the coop and run.
-
Prevent common health issues with vaccination and cleanliness.
-
Collect eggs frequently since hens won’t lay if nests are full.
With excellent care, some backyard chickens may lay well over 500 eggs in their lifetime. The average hen will produce 300-400 eggs over 2-4 years of laying. Even after their most productive years, many chickens will continue laying 1-2 eggs per week into old age. With their incredible egg laying abilities, chickens can provide a bountiful supply of fresh eggs for any backyard flock owner.
How to Care for molting chickens
A chicken who is molting is going through a natural hormone cycle when they are typically about 18 months of age. They may not lay any eggs at all or fewer during this time, and they will often eat more food because they are trying to replace and grow back the feathers they lost during the molting period. Keep the molting chicken fed a balanced diet, and expect them to eat more. Typically they molt during the colder months, and they have less feathers so they will eat A LOT to make up for this loss.
What can maximize production to get more eggs?
First and foremost, while choosing a high production breed and following the best care considerations noted below, good layers will also produce well when they are cared for! We believe in letting our backyard flock have access to pasture and foraging in a safe way, which means chicken tractors on our farm, as well as feeding a high quality grain mixed specifically for egg layers of at least 18% protein. Foraging for food scraps and bugs is just an extra thing that can be added to a complete layer feed made for backyard flocks.
Other important things to consider is that a hen’s ability to lay eggs lessens as it ages. The first year, after the 22 week pullet period will be the highest number of eggs the hen lays. A healthy hen will continue to lay an egg every day, for a total of 250 to 300 eggs a year. However, even with good care, the number of eggs will go down over time. At the end of this post, I talk about what we do with our hens when they’ve laid enough farm-fresh eggs for the season.
In our experience, we always choose ISA browns or blacks from a local hatchery and get them as chicks in the fall. This helps get eggs in the winter months, allows them to molt in the warmer season and avoids less spring chores for the busy farmers we are!
How Many Eggs Will a Hen Lay in Her Lifetime?
FAQ
What chickens lay 365 eggs a year?
The Australorp holds the record for the most eggs laid in a year which was around 365 eggs. Chickens tend to lay eggs during the spring/summer when the days are long. Most stop laying eggs when it is winter/fall since the days are shorter.
How many eggs can chicken lay in lifetime?
There’s no definitive estimate for how many eggs a chicken can lay in her lifetime. But given an average commercial hen’s egg production and lifespan, we can estimate that she will likely lay at least 330 eggs before she is slaughtered.
What is the 90/10 rule for chickens?
The 90% rule for chickens is a feeding guideline that says 90% of a chicken’s daily food should be complete feed, and the other 10% can be treats.
What age do chickens stop laying eggs?
Chickens don’t typically stop laying eggs at a specific age, but their egg-laying ability generally decreases with age. Most hens will lay the most eggs in their first two years, with production slowing down as they get older.