How much longer will they lay?

[CowgirlPenny]

Someone told me recently that it was typical to get three seasons of eggs out of a hen before they quit laying. How long is a season? Like spring/summer/fall seasons? The time in between each molt? They all seemed to molt in March and are molting again right now. They were all hatched February 23, 2011. Last fall almost all of them just completely quit laying for the winter which is OK with me. Let their bodies rest if that's what they need. So, I expect that will happen again this winter. But when spring rolls around they will be two. Should I expect next spring/summer to be their last laying months?

 

[lil cheaps]

My RIR girls are five years old and they are still laying up a storm with the exception of one. I would think at only being two, they will still lay for you. But, I have heard that all breeds are different.

 

[aggiemae]

It does vary by breed but a hen lays a predetermined number of eggs during her life time. Chickens that have a natural light cycle and are allowed to go broody now and then will lay fewer eggs over a longer period of time. In the situation you describe you hens will peak when they are about a year old, lay for three summers then taper off.

My neighbor has a mixed breed pet hen that's almost six years old and still lays a few eggs a week. and a four year old that hasn't laid at all this summer.

If you want a steady supply of eggs you can rotate in a few new pullets every spring.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

Ok, so I should expect three more summers AFTER their one year peak? They began to lay last July at 5ish months old so technically this is their 1 year old summer.