Food To Egg Ratio?

[newchickens2009]

Not sure if this is in the right thread, if not I'm sorry. I've seen it somewhere on here before but can't find it again. What I am wondering is what is the estimited amount of food a laying hen eats to produce 1 egg? (Breeds I am interested in are r.i.r, leghorns and sex-links). Thanks for any help in advance!

 

[Mac in Wisco]

That depends upon which period of time you are talking about. Are you talking about from hatch to end of production? From point of lay to end of production? At peak output?

Those breeds of hens eat around .25 lbs (4 ounces) a day and will reach a laying peak of 95%. At that percentage of lay you would be getting an egg for every .263 ounces of feed. They don't maintain that type of output throughout the production period though, after a year they will be laying at around 80%.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

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[newchickens2009]

Quote:
Thank you very much! This info is just what I was looking for!

 

[Mac in Wisco]

The expected performance standards for our red sex links (Hisex Browns) show that they should be eating around 3.6 lbs of feed per dozen eggs (.3 lbs per egg) at peak output around 28 weeks, by 80 weeks that is down to 3.45 lbs (.287 lbs per egg)

It also says that from 18 to 80 weeks one hen should eat 102 lbs of feed and produce 356 eggs, which is .287 lbs of feed per egg.

 

[jeslewmazer]

you could try posting in the Feeding & Watering Your Flock section and you might find more about all three breeds.