Question for Easter Egger Owners

[BonnieBlue]

What is the average number of eggs per week that you get from your Easter Egger hens?

Before buying (these are my first ever chickens) I read and read the hatchery's websites, and I figured that doing well would be 5 eggs a week from my girls, and that would be after they had been laying a few months. My girls are just over 7 months old and the two of the three that have been laying for just over a month now are spitting out eggs like crazy. One of them generally lays for 8 to 9 days straight, takes a one day break, then starts all over. The one who lays the most is on the nest now, and this will be her 13 day in row to lay. When she takes a break, it is one day, then she will lay another at least 10. The newest layer lays four days in a row, takes a break, then another four days. She is laying what I expected from all of them. So to say I am surprised at how much the other two lay is an understatement.

Is this the norm for Easter Eggers? Or is Peony (the one that is a laying machine) just an over-achiever?

 

[NatJ]

What is the average number of eggs per week that you get from your Easter Egger hens?

Before buying (these are my first ever chickens) I read and read the hatchery's websites, and I figured that doing well would be 5 eggs a week from my girls, and that would be after they had been laying a few months. My girls are just over 7 months old and the two of the three that have been laying for just over a month now are spitting out eggs like crazy. One of them generally lays for 8 to 9 days straight, takes a one day break, then starts all over. The one who lays the most is on the nest now, and this will be her 13 day in row to lay. When she takes a break, it is one day, then she will lay another at least 10. The newest layer lays four days in a row, takes a break, then another four days. She is laying what I expected from all of them. So to say I am surprised at how much the other two lay is an understatement.

Is this the norm for Easter Eggers? Or is Peony (the one that is a laying machine) just an over-achiever?

That can be the norm at some seasons, but there will be other times when they do not lay at all (like when they molt in the fall.)

The logical way to figure eggs per week is by counting the total eggs in the year, and dividing by how many weeks are in a year. But in reality, the eggs will not be evenly distributed during the year, so there will be weeks with more and weeks with less or none.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is this the norm for Easter Eggers?

They are sporadic layers in my experience.. And I average them at 3 eggs per week, long term and upon actual maturity.. agreeing with and confirming the considerations stated by the first poster.. including daylight hours, age, etc.

My first EE laid 21 days in a row, took a day off, then another 21 days in row and day off.. 3 consecutive times before taking a 3 week break and then returning to more of a normal interval.

Some of the newer strains are being bred (with white eggers) for more proliferation/production. This has not been my experience thus far.

 

[BonnieBlue]

That can be the norm at some seasons, but there will be other times when they do not lay at all (like when they molt in the fall.)

The logical way to figure eggs per week is by counting the total eggs in the year, and dividing by how many weeks are in a year. But in reality, the eggs will not be evenly distributed during the year, so there will be weeks with more and weeks with less or none.

That is why I am keeping the spread sheet. So I can track the laying and egg size for each. Calculating in when they molt could very well give me closer to what I initually calculated, which I hadn't considered.

 

[BonnieBlue]

They are sporadic layers in my experience.. And I average them at 3 eggs per week, long term and upon actual maturity.. agreeing with and confirming the considerations stated by the first poster.. including daylight hours, age, etc.

My first EE laid 21 days in a row, took a day off, then another 21 days in row and day off.. 3 consecutive times before taking a 3 week break and then returning to more of a normal interval.

Some of the newer strains are being bred (with white eggers) for more proliferation/production. This has not been my experience thus far.

Three a week would be closer to what I expected. Twenty-one days is pretty amazing. I can see why she needed a break.

That does give me an idea of what to expect tho, knowing they are sporadic and will have breaks.

 

[Tahai]

Hi. I'll start by saying my Easter Eggers have always been power layers! They generally give me 13 eggs every 14 days. They only stop laying during molt. They generally molt in July and August for me. They lay all winter (upstate PA)

It is important to remember, though, that Easter Eggers are not a breed. "Easter Egger" is a name used to refer to any chicken who is not a purebred of a APA recognized breed and who lays blue or green eggs.

The reason this is important is because there are hundreds of ways to create an Easter Egger. So comparing your EE's to random other EE's is not going to garner useful information.

Your EE might be an Ameraucana mixed with a Rhode Island Red and someone else's EE might be a Whiting True Blue mixed with a Dorking.

Many hatcheries have developed their own fairly stable bloodlines of Easter Eggers, so, for example, comparing Meyers EE to Meyers EE would probably be safe.

My Easter Eggers come from Townline Hatchery, and their bloodlines have been consistent for at least 20 years based on my personal experience raising them.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I get about 4 -5 eggs a week during spring, summer, and fall when they lay well.

 

[BonnieBlue]

The reason this is important is because there are hundreds of ways to create an Easter Egger. So comparing your EE's to random other EE's is not going to garner useful information.

Very good point that I had not thought of!

 

[BonnieBlue]

I get about 4 -5 eggs a week during spring, summer, and fall when they lay well.

That is what I was expecting from these, given everything I had read, especially on the hatchery's website. If I get that, i'll be a happy camper!

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

That is what I was expecting from these, given everything I had read, especially on the hatchery's website. If I get that, i'll be a happy camper!

That's what you can expect! They are a great breed.