been wondering

[jimz1]

I was talking to a guy at work about eggs. and he asked me a question I can't answer, so maybe someone can.
If chickens lay eggs every day or every other day or third day, why don't other birds lay that often?

 

[SteveBaz]

It just is in their biological make up and behavior.

 

[RedDrgn]

They're bred to do so.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Many centuries of selective breeding.

 

[jimz1]

Thanks for the answers, but it's not enough. I need more!

 

[Ksane]

My Doves do. I've got 2 female Doves and if they're not egging they're nesting. Between the 2 of them they lay an egg every 2-3 days. Doves supposedly only lay 2 eggs each day every 2 wks. I think mine are trying to keep up with the chickens.

 

[Impress]

It is the difference between birds that have to work their rears off to raise their babies, because they are born bald and pink and helpless, and a bird that can raise them underfoot in any old weather, because they are born feathered, mobile, and can peck and slurp water as soon as they are upright. If you were a robin and had to starve yourself for a couple of months to feed helpless little pink beans, would you lay all the time?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some domesticated birds do lay a lot more often than their "wild" counterparts. Chickens are probably the champions though.

Chickens have been domesticated. Their "wild" laying pattern is to lay every day or so until they have laid enough eggs to hatch and raise a brood. By selective breeding, they have beed developed into something that lays a lot more without going broody and trying to hatch them.

Selective breeding is the correct answer. Comparing the domesticated chicken to a wild songbird is a lot like comparing a domesticated dog to a wolf. We have altered their behavior.