It’s spring, and you know what that means! Backyard flocks are booming. Thanks to rising egg prices, baby chicks are flying off the shelves as more people dive into the joys of raising chickens. And while the eggs are certainly a bonus, it’s the fun, quirky personalities of chickens that make them truly lovable.
Around the world, eggs are one of the most-used foods in kitchens. Most eggs come from chickens. Sure, duck and goose eggs have their place, but today we’re talking all things chicken eggs.
One of the most common questions I get is: How many eggs does a chicken lay in a day? The answer depends on a few key factors like breed, age, diet, environment and time of year.
As a chicken owner, one of the most common questions you may have is how many eggs can you expect your hens to lay in a month? The number can vary quite a bit based on several factors. In this article, I’ll provide a detailed overview of egg laying frequency so you know what to expect from your backyard flock
Average Egg Production Per Month
On average, most hens will lay around 4-5 eggs per week. This works out to roughly 16-20 eggs per month for most standard sized breeds. Of course, there is natural variation between individual hens based on breed, diet, weather and other factors. Some chickens may lay a few more or less.
For example, Leghorns and other light breed hens are prolific layers and may produce closer to 25 eggs per month. Heavier dual purpose breeds like Plymouth Rocks will be on the lower end around 15 eggs monthly. Very small bantam breeds may only lay 8-10 eggs per month due to their petite size.
The highest recorded rate for a single chicken is 371 eggs in one year – that’s over 30 eggs per month! However, this is extremely rare and most backyard hens will fall closer to the averages stated above
What Impacts Egg Production?
Many elements influence how often chickens lay eggs. Here are some of the main factors:
Breed – Some breeds are genetically better layers. Mediterranean breeds (Leghorns, Anconas) tend to be the most productive.
Age – Younger hens 1-2 years old lay more frequently. Production declines as chickens get older.
Length of Day: Chickens lay eggs best when there are 14 hours of daylight. Egg production drops in fall/winter.
Diet – A quality feed with 16-18% protein is optimal for egg laying.
Health – Disease, parasites and stress lower egg production.
Predators – Fear of predators like hawks and raccoons can stop hens from laying.
Weather – Extreme cold or heat leads to fewer eggs. Ideal temp is around 70°F.
Living Conditions – Crowding, small coops and lack of exercise reduce laying.
You can see that there are a lot of factors at play! For the best egg production, make sure your flock has a good environment, good food, and good health care.
Egg Laying By Month
The number of eggs a hen lays can fluctuate significantly across the seasons. Here is a more detailed look at typical production month-by-month:
January: After the winter solstice, the days start to get longer, which makes birds lay more eggs again. Expect 15-18 eggs.
February – Incrementally more daylight and warmer temps result in 18-22 eggs.
March – Production peaks! 20-25 eggs are common this month as spring starts.
April – Excellent egg numbers around 22-24.
May – Consistently high yields around 20-23 eggs.
June – Summer heat may start lowering output to 18-20.
July – Hot temperatures often dip eggs down to 16-19.
August – The heat can further decline production to 15-18 eggs.
September – Cooler fall weather brings improvement to 18-21 eggs.
October – Last flush of 20-23 eggs before winter drop off.
November – Shorter days start decreasing output to 15-19 eggs.
December – Chickens slow down and take a break, 10-14 eggs expected.
As you can see, you’ll get the highest egg yields in the spring and summer when daylight hours are longest. Make sure to give your chickens extra supplementation like oyster shell grit and calcium during peak production periods.
When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs?
Pullets typically start laying eggs around 18-24 weeks old. However, some birds may begin a bit sooner or later. Here are some guidelines:
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Standard breeds – start laying at 5-6 months old.
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Bantams – may start closer to 6-7 months due to smaller size.
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Light birds – tend to mature and lay sooner than heavier breeds.
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Winter/spring hatches – slower to start laying than summer/fall birds.
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Pet breeds – chickens kept as pets for looks often lay later.
So you can expect your chickens will begin laying sometime between 4-7 months of age. Once they start, you can follow the monthly estimates above to know roughly how many eggs to collect from your home flock.
How Often Do Chickens Lay Eggs?
On average, a healthy, happy hen lays one egg every 24 to 26 hours. That’s about an egg a day, though it’s not guaranteed. Once a hen lays an egg, her body immediately begins forming the next one. With this natural rhythm, a hen almost never lays more than one egg in a day.
To help support their health and egg production, I love giving my flock Chicken E-lixir. It’s like a daily vitamin for chickens, packed with calcium, electrolytes, prebiotics and oregano essential oil. Basically, everything hens need to stay strong and productive.
What Affects Egg Production in Chickens?
There are several factors that influence how many eggs your chickens will lay. These include:
- Breed: Some breeds lay a lot of eggs. For example, Leghorns can lay over 300 eggs a year. On the other hand, Chicken breeds like Silkies and Polish are more decorative and lay a lot less eggs.
- Age: Hens start laying eggs when they are 5 to 6 months old. Their egg production is highest in their first one to two years, and it slowly decreases as they get older. Even though they are over 6 years old and only lay down once in a while, I still love them so much!
- Lighting: Chickens need 14 to 16 hours of light a day to keep laying eggs. That’s why a lot of people who keep chickens add extra lighting in the winter. You can choose to give your girls a break during the holidays if you want to.
- Nutrition: For consistent egg-laying, you need to eat a balanced diet full of protein, calcium, and other important nutrients. Giving them high-quality treats like Golden Graze or adding products like Chicken E-lixir to their daily diet can help round it out.
- Stress and Environment: Things like sick birds, dirty coops, predator scares, or sudden changes in routine can make hens lay less eggs. Your hens will be happy and lay eggs on time if you keep the coop clean, quiet, and safe.
HOW MANY EGGS WILL YOUR CHICKEN LAY?
FAQ
How many eggs does a chicken lay a month?
To answer your question, the number of eggs a chicken hen will lay in a month depends on the breed of chicken and the conditions in which she lives. As a rough guide, the breeds that lay the most eggs, like ISA Browns and Leghorns, do so about 25 times a month. While some ornamental backyard chicken breeds lay much fewer.
How many eggs can a hen produce a week?
A hen will produce 5 to 7 eggs a week as long as she has enough light. However, as discussed above, you need to factor in that hens will skip a day every so often. So, if you want to almost certainly get twelve eggs a week, you should have at least three hens and, depending on the breed, up to five.
When do hens lay eggs?
Learn more about egg laying—and discover the fascinating process of how an egg is formed. A pullet or young chicken begins to lay eggs at around 18 to 22 weeks old. Similar to a teenage girl starting her menstrual cycle, it can take time to establish a regular cycle of egg-laying. Once a cycle is established, most hens will lay one egg per day.
Can a chicken lay 2 eggs a day?
This depends on the breed and the age of the chicken. Bantams, for example, lay small eggs because they are small chickens. But eggs vary in size even with standard sized chickens. The eggs usually start out smaller and get larger as the chicken matures! Is It Possible For A Chicken To Lay 2 Eggs A Day?
How long does it take a chicken to lay an egg?
Some chicken breeds in their prime can produce an egg every day because they can produce a new egg in 22 hours. A chicken can take one to two hours to lay an egg. Therefore, in under 24 hours, it can complete the whole egg production cycle. However, most chickens take 24-26 hours to produce a new egg after laying an egg.
When do chickens lay less eggs?
In general, egg production is reduced during the coldest months of the year. With less sunlight, chickens will lay less eggs during darker days of the year. With this in mind, we can say that egg production will be concentrated during the spring and summer months in the northern hemisphere.
How many eggs will 10 chickens lay in a week?
Expected Results. Ten hens should lay about nine eggs per day once they all get started. Daily egg production can vary — conditions such as bad weather, dark days, severe cold, frozen water, predators and lack of or poor quality feed will affect hens adversely and may reduce laying.
What is the 90/10 rule for chickens?
The “90/10 rule” for chickens refers to a feeding guideline that recommends 90% of a chicken’s daily diet should be a complete feed, while the remaining 10% can be treats.
How many eggs will 4 chickens lay a year?
| Number of Hens | 200 Eggs/Year | 250 Eggs/Year |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 15 | 14 |
| 5 | 19 | 24 |
| 6 | 23 | 29 |
| 7 | 27 | 34 |
Is it cheaper to raise chickens or buy eggs?