Bantam hen egg productivity

How many eggs should it be reasonable to expect from bantam hens?

We know all three of our Sulmtaler bantams have recently started laying, and have contributed at least 14 eggs between them in the last seven days, with 2 or 3 extra coming from one or both of our Polish (Casserole is definitely laying, but we can't be sure Roast has followed her lead).

We understood that bantam hens weren't that prolific, and that in general didn't really bother laying during the winter months either.
Are the Sulmtalers just in overdrive, or actually a really good laying breed? All information online suggests 'up to 2 eggs a week', but it looks like Bumblebee, Sonic, and Agro are giving us 3-4 at the moment! No 'practice eggs' either, they seem to have all just decided to do it properly from the off.

Will we be flooded with eggs once the gale force winds and torrential rain has abated, and we move in to spring/summer? Is this an anomaly whilst they initially work out the whole egg laying business?

Any thoughts and input would be greatly appreciated.

J & K

I don't have those breeds, I have Cochin and d'uccle, mine will lay really well, then stop and go broody, then back to laying well. Some take longer breaks than others between the cycle, it helps to break them quickly.

Mine will lay in the winter and I've been getting eggs for the last month. I think the big thing slowing bantam down is the broodiness, if you had one that didn't go broody you might get pretty good production out of them.

oldhenlikesdogs said:

I don't have those breeds, I have Cochin and d'uccle, mine will lay really well, then stop and go broody, then back to laying well. Some take longer breaks than others between the cycle, it helps to break them quickly.

Mine will lay in the winter and I've been getting eggs for the last month. I think the big thing slowing bantam down is the broodiness, if you had one that didn't go broody you might get pretty good production out of them.

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X2

There are lots of bantam varieties and some have been bred down from larger breeds (meaning they are crosses and guessing how much they will lay can be hard).
I've found that some bantams are great layers, though may do tend to stop laying during their second winter (they generally lay well their first year) and they are prone to going broody. My sebrights will lay ever day or two during the warm weather.

many thanks for the responses and sharing of your wisdom.

We found a nugget of information that suggests that as a breed Sulmtalers don't go broody, but it's good to know that's something to keep an eye on.

The torrent of eggs shows no sign of slowing down, but it was pancake day yesterday so that made a bit of a dent in the supply.....

"Bantams aren't prolific layers", you read it all the time right? I don't know what their definition of prolific is but I've had bantams for 15 years and I get an egg a day from each hen. I have silkies, sebrights, frizzle Cochin, Phoenix, d'anver and Japanese right now. They slow down in November, take a break in December and pick back up in mid January. The silkies will go broody and you just can't stop them, but other than that they lay all the time.