How many eggs does a chicken lay each week?
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Chickens | 176 comments
“How come there were only four eggs in the basket this morning?'”
Danny asked when he brought in my breakfast tray.
Admittedly I had given John Coe four when he came to mow the lawn this week, but only eight in a week! Danny was concerned, “What are we going to do about our fry ups?”
Danny’s mother kept chickens when he was a child and as a Poultry Instructor, passed on her knowledge. Despite this both of us were a bit naive when it came to keeping chickens ourselves. Just before we collected our chickens three years ago, I bought a pretty little basket in a sale in Newmarket. We planned to buy six hens and I assumed that I’d collect six eggs a day. That basket gathered dust whilst we waited for the first egg.
We bought hens on ‘point of lay’ and threw a party to celebrate their arrival. The guests peered through the gloom at the hens and discussed how to deal with an egg glut. After the party we decided to ask our chicken feed supplier for advice. As we had zero eggs, we must be doing something wrong.
‘Try these,’ he said, producing a box of china eggs with a flourish. ˜The hens will take a peek at them and it will give them the idea.’ I hurried home, opened the nesting box and made plump tempting nests of sweet smelling hay to hold the china eggs.
The chickens seemed happy enough. I observed them having dust baths, sunbathing on the warm roof of their ‘day centre’ and running for a handful of grain in the afternoon. Every day I peeped into the immaculate but egg-free nesting box and trudged back to the house, disappointed. Summer turned to Autumn and then to Winter. ‘Hens go off lay in the Winter, so don’t expect any eggs until the Spring,’ a kind friend advised. I could have hit her.
We were away over New Year and when we got back, there were only five chickens in the pen. I opened the hen house door and there was the sixth hen, absorbed in her task. She barely noticed me as she was clearly straining. I rushed back to the house to tell Danny the breaking news. We crept down to the hen house an hour later and saw our first egg lying resplendent in a clutch of white china fakes.
Tricks and Tips:
- Chickens are at their egg laying prime for the first two years. After this, their egg laying decreases as they get older. Serious egg producers replace their hens after two years.
- Chickens are seasonal layers. When daylight hours are short their laying decreases. Laying gradually builds up from January and starts to decrease from mid September.
- Before you get your first chickens decide whether they are going to be layers or pets, or a mix. If you are going to replace them after a couple of years, don’t give them names. Danny named each of our chickens when they arrived (we got a mix). Need I say more?
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Hi Kieron
If you’ve helped out with hens befor you know all the basics.
My main tips would be to give them fresh water every day and try to tame them (with corn) so that it is easy to catch them.
Hi Darren
I’m sorry but I don’t know the answer to your question. It would be worth checking out the smallholder forums.
hi
my wife and I have been offered some 6 hectares of land, to start a small holdings business and my question is: How many quail or chickens do you need to have for a substainable income, and the best way to shift those eggs. We need a name of a company that would come and collect eggs to stamp and package them to sell on. Do any company’s in the uk (south east) do that?
THANKS
Darren.
i am getting some warren hens on saturday anybody give me any tipsd its my first flock but ive helped out with chickens before thanks
Hi Karin
I feed my flock layers pellets with a little corn/wild bird seed as a treat each day.
You’ll have great with your hens, I spend hours watching mine.
I have just come across this website, and am so please to read all the positive advice given re having hens.
I am in the process of getting 6 chickens (Warrens). This will be my first adventure keeping chickens, so I will be popping into this site frequently for constructive advice.
We have just finished the hen house and put the
fencing up. I need to get the feed and would
appreciate advice as to which is the best for my hens.
I’m no expert but we’ve now had ours for about 18 months so you tend to learn as you go along.
You’re right though, they do all have their own character.
Good luck,
Richard
Thanks Richard. I thought maybe since I helped deliver her egg or what ever you call it that maybe I had caused the problem. I have never had a chicken before and didn’t realize how much fun they are to watch.
Moneica
Hi Moneica,
soft shell eggs can indicate that she’s not getting enough calcium in her diet. They do occur from time to time so don’t worry too much. If the chickens aren’t free to roam they may need some additional calcium adding to their normal layers pellets. We bought a bag from our local feed merchant which contains small stones and crushed shells etc.
Your other alternative is to crush up egg shells and put them in the pellets (make sure they are crushed as if they are still recognisable as eggs they may canibalise their own eggs).
Good luck and hope that helps,
Richard
Hi,
This is the first time I have ever had chickens. One of them had an egg inside her uterus ( I guess ) but it was outside her body. I could see the opening so I removed the egg. She looked sick for awhile and then she started eating etc. That was about 2 weeks ago. Today I got 1 egg more than usual but it had a soft shell. What should I do ?
Thanks,
Moneica
Hi,
I’m thinking of getting some chicks this summer but I will only keep them for three months , I want to know how fast does a chick grows and at what age do they start laying eggs ? And how many chicks do you suggest for me to have ?