Egg Laying Statistics

[Bullitt]

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.

That is a lot of eggs. I wouldn't expect any hen to lay that many eggs without optimal conditions.


CovertChickOps, are you adding light in your chicken coop?

 

[CovertChickOps]

Since we got our chicks towards the end of June, they started laying late November, early December last year - so I did use lights. I am letting them molt this year - so no lights, but they haven't started yet. My second (prize) Red Sex Link has three days to go and so far has layed 350 eggs in 362 days (no broody periods, no softies or weird eggs)!

 

[FranklinFarm]

I'm new at the chicken farming I have 8 hens 2 black giants 2 none white leghorn 2 Dominique & 2 Delaware which is my best laying hens

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A word of caution to new chicken owners with great laying pullets.
Don't expect 300+ eggs after the second year. You'll be disappointed, no matter what breed you have.

 

[CovertChickOps]

Yeah, I'm certainly not expecting that, but really I do not know what to expect since I can't seem to find any data beyond 80-100 weeks. That's why I am keeping records and posting it here. I hope others do the same. Again, I am most interested in the data I get after my hens do their first molt - when they finally decide to do one!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

With most breeds, it's the second autumn and every one thereafter.
I raise a breed that always molts the first autumn if they hatched early in the year.

Keep up the good work with the record keeping.

 

[CovertChickOps]

Here's the full year stats on my second Red Sex Link: 351 eggs in 365 days for 96% + productivity. No broody periods, no softies, no weird eggs whatsoever; just nice brown eggs averaging extra large, but with quite a few jumbos and a few super jumbos in there. My last hen is the Australorpe, who has decided to go into her third broody period instead of molting. Be lucky to see 70% out of her.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You clearly are feeding well and have a good management program. The sex links are more of an egg hybrid so would be prolific without going broody.
Australorps are great layers but also tend to be setters.

 

[CovertChickOps]

Ok, my australorp is definitely broody again - so I can now give a full summary:

BREED/HATCHED WKS 2 1st EGG #EGGS 1st 52WKS AVG WT (OZ.) BROODY(#&DAYS) % PROD REMARKS

Red Sex Link 6/24/12 21 332 2.61 - Jumbo 0/0 91 16 softies = 87% adjusted
Red Sex Link 6/24/12 23 351 2.47 - X Large 0/0 96
Barred Rock 6/24/12 21 301 1.87 - Medium 2/21 82 88% not counting broody days
Australorp 6/24/12 24 250 1.98 - Medium 3/59 68 82% not counting broody days

Since these hens started laying at the end of November 2012, I did use lights for their first winter. I am not going to use lights this winter. I will update these stats if they start their first molt. These are spoiled backyard chickens, so they did pretty well. All except my broody autralorp are still laying regularly, which is also good since we're almost into December.

 

[Woodfield1]

Covert,
Have you continuted to keep records of your hens? If so please share how they are peformed over the years.