Egg Laying Statistics

[CovertChickOps]

Hi everybody,

I don't know if there is another thread like this out there all ready, but if there is, I apologize as I could not find it.

I am keeping meticulous records on the eggs my girls are laying (how often and how big) and I am going to post them here as there seems to be a lack of data keeping on this subject, especially after 100 weeks which seems to be the cut off for hens in factory farm egg production.

2 of my 4 hens have just passed one full year of eggs laying. Since they started laying at 21 weeks eggsactly, that makes them currently at 73 weeks of age.

Jodie (Red Sex Link) - 332 eggs in 365 days, no broody periods but 16 'softies', total productivity: 91% (or 87% not counting the softies), average size: Jumbo

Rocky (Barred Rock) - 301 eggs in 365 days, two broody periods totaling 21 days, total productivity: 82% (or 88% not counting the broody days), average size: Medium

The other two hens started laying on November 30th and December 7th. None of my hens have started molting yet, but when they do, I will provide full statistics of the entire egg laying period prior to their first molt. I am most interested in the periods that follow, since I can find no statistics beyond 100 weeks.

I hope this information helps in the advancement of chicken science worldwide!

https://www.facebook.com/4VirginiaBeachHens

 

[ChickenCanoe]

332 eggs in 365 days is awesome but somewhat expected from an egg hybrid.
Keep in mind that all pullets lay well the first year.
After that, they molt every autumn and egg laying diminishes yearly.
I just don't want anyone to think that laying at that rate will continue for very long.

 

[Bullitt]

Hi everybody,

I don't know if there is another thread like this out there all ready, but if there is, I apologize as I could not find it.

I am keeping meticulous records on the eggs my girls are laying (how often and how big) and I am going to post them here as there seems to be a lack of data keeping on this subject, especially after 100 weeks which seems to be the cut off for hens in factory farm egg production.

2 of my 4 hens have just passed one full year of eggs laying. Since they started laying at 21 weeks eggsactly, that makes them currently at 73 weeks of age.

Jodie (Red Sex Link) - 332 eggs in 365 days, no broodie periods but 16 'softies', total productivity: 91% (or 87% not counting the softies), average size: Jumbo

Rocky (Barred Rock) - 301 eggs in 365 days, two broody periods totaling 21 days, total productivity: 82% (or 88% not counting the broody days), average size: Medium

The other two hens started laying on November 30th and December 7th. None of my hens have started molting yet, but when they do, I will provide full statistics of the entire egg laying period prior to their first molt. I am most interested in the periods that follow, since I can find no statistics beyond 100 weeks.

I hope this information helps in the advancement of chicken science worldwide!

https://www.facebook.com/4VirginiaBeachHens

Those two are really laying the eggs.

332 eggs in 365 days is more than should be expected for the average Red Sex Link, and 301 eggs in 365 days is more than should be expected for the average Barred Plymouth Rock. Even in the first year of laying.

Rocky seems like the perfect hen to me for a sustainable flock. 301 eggs in a year and she went broody twice. That would be a hen I would consider making a mother to produce more like her. Get yourself a good Barred Rock rooster if you don't already have one. At least that is what I would do.

By the way, can you tell which hen laid a particular egg by the color?

 

[CovertChickOps]

I have only 4 hens, so I can tell each by the egg size and color, but mostly by the shape. I know the egg laying will start to taper off, but that is what I am most interested in documenting. I will keep records of size and productivity between each hen's molting periods. By the way, my other Red Sex Link is currently at 97% productivity with 8 days to go. She went 247 days in a row without missing a beat and there were no softies or other oddities - all beautiful eggs.

 

[Bullitt]

I have only 4 hens, so I can tell each by the egg size and color, but mostly by the shape. I know the egg laying will start to taper off, but that is what I am most interested in documenting. I will keep records of size and productivity between each hen's molting periods. By the way, my other Red Sex Link is currently at 97% productivity with 8 days to go. She went 247 days in a row without missing a beat and there were no softies or other oddities - all beautiful eggs.

Wow, you have some champion egg-layers.

Where did you get your hens?

 

[CovertChickOps]

We got them at mypetchicken.com. They seem to be very healthy so far, although we did get one RIR that was mis-sexed, which we gave away. Our last hen, an Australorp, is at 70%, mostly due to two long broody periods.

 

[Bullitt]

We got them at mypetchicken.com. They seem to be very healthy so far, although we did get one RIR that was mis-sexed, which we gave away. Our last hen, an Australorp, is at 70%, mostly due to two long broody periods.

Australorps are supposed to be somewhat broody. It's good to have a broody hen around if you want to hatch some chicks. Australorps are a good choice because they also lay a lot of eggs.

 

[erinchelsea]

Great info! I've never had a sex-link but that kind of makes me want some! We've got several Australorps and they do go broody regularly. However, the one we had this spring hatched out 4 chicks and accepted 15 more chicks from the hatchery- raised them all herself and didn't lose one. Great mama.

 

[Bullitt]

The world record for a chicken laying eggs was set in 1979 by a White Leghorn that laid 371 eggs in 364 days.

I think the White Leghorn is why white eggs became common in stores. They commonly lay more than 300 eggs a year.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

To get well over 330 eggs a year, the hens are most likely on an ahemeral lighting program. Not uncommon in the commercial egg market.