consistency of new layers

[ebonykawai]

When pullets start to lay, do they skip days or are they pretty consistent? I had my first egg yesterday but nothing today. Thanks for the info.

 

[sianara]

It'll take a few weeks until they are on a "regular" schedule. So you will probably have days that there are no eggs at all. I've got 12 large size hens and I get an average 6 eggs a day (some days 3, some days 8!).

One of my first leghorns laid two eggs on her first day. Of course, the second egg was shelless! Once she got going, she laid approximately 28 eggs in 30 days which continued for 3 years until she died of an unrelated issue.

My australorp was almost as good, laying an average of 25 eggs in 30 days. Both my leghorns are gone now but the australorp is about 3 years old and I only get about 2 eggs weekly from her these days.

 

[oldegger]

I have been getting an egg a day from each of my RSL's since they started laying a month ago. One skipped the day after laying A JUMBO double yoker.
My 2 RIR's and 4 WL's started laying in fits and starts 2 weeks ago Not sure my one BSL has started laying. 8 eggs once but the next day only 4
averaging 5 to 6 a day The girls came home from TSC as day old chicks 5 month ago today

 

[ebonykawai]

Great to know, thank you!

 

[ChicksnPacas]

Hi Lisa,

I asked the same question recently, and everyone seemed to have pretty consistent laying in the beginning but me. So just so you don't feel bad this is what has happened with us so far. At 21 weeks, my easter egger laid one egg 13 days ago and has not laid one since. My brown leg horn that is the same age laid three eggs in seven days. All four eggs between the two have only been 1 to 1.2 ounces so very small. Basically I don't think you can compare too easily so try not to get frustrated.

I also read on the forum recently that adding a light in the coop to add some extra daylight hours will help with production as we go into winter.

Good luck! Michele

 

[al6517]

Funny you should mention this now, mine laid their first egg yesterday also and today nothing, so we are in the same boat. I have about 60 hens that should really start up all at once, and I am counting the days waiting for the explosion of eggs one day when i go to the coop. the nest boxes have been primed for awhile now with hay and golf balls, so wish me luck and i will for you as well.

 

[Gindee77]

The only thing I've been able to figure out so far is that you never know! I got my first egg then went a day without an egg. Then we got 2 the next day. I have 11 chickens and the most we've gotten in a day so far is 7. Usually we get 5-6 a day. I know for sure 4 of my chickens aren't laying yet. My 4 Golden Comets consistently lay an egg a day. I always get 4 beautiful brown eggs from them. I have another EE who lays about 6 pale turquoise eggs a week. She only misses about one day out of 7. And her sister lays about the same rate but she lays pink eggs! And yet another sister to the EE's has laid one beautiful pale green egg about a week ago, but that was the only one she's laid so far.

 

[PotterWatch]

The only girl I have laying started on Aug 18th. She laid two or three days in a row, then took a day off, then again for a few days, took a day off and has now laid every day for about a week.

 

[henrysue]

My RIR laid an egg two days in a row, then nothing for a couple days. My white leghorn has been laying for about 2 weeks but is very inconsistent (but easy to pick out being the only white egg!) She's laid only 4-5 eggs during the two weeks.

I have 5 chickens and they have been laying now for three weeks. I get at least three eggs every day so it's consistent in that sense.

 

[ebonykawai]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! I'll see if I get one today. I have 10 hens, all are slow maturing birds, one group is 23 weeks, the other group 21 weeks. The first hen to lay is our alpha female named Bestfriend Chicken, lol. A few others are reddening up, so I hope to have more eggs pretty soon. I don't plan to supplement with extra light. They've never had light, even when they were chicks (I used a reptile heat emitter), so I don't plan to start now. Just letting them live their chickeny lives in peace.