How long do hens lay???

[RattiganChicks]

I know this is such a beginner question but I have to ask...how long do hens lay eggs? I know from all of your wonderful postings that they should start basically any time after 17 to 18 weeks, but once they do, how long are they able to produce?

 

[s6bee]

Depends on the breed or I should say type. A layer will lay a lot eggs for a shorter amount of time, approx. 2-3 yrs. A dual purpose will lay less frequently but for more years about 4-5. Of course there will be those exceptions but that is a general rule.

What do you have?

 

[RattiganChicks]

We have 11 Barred Rocks, 3 weeks old today.

 

[ibpboo]

I get up to 3 eggs a day from my four 6 year old hens. My hen had a hen that lived to be 15 years old and it still occasionally laid eggs, about a dozen a year at that age.

 

[Red]

Our oldest two hens are BSL. They are five years old and lay four or five eggs a week, each

 

[JennsPeeps]

I was talking with a woman on my bus today & discovered she, too, is a chicken owner. She told me that her 2 hens (Buff Orp & Leghorn) are laying really well right now. I asked how old they are, expecting to hear "a year" and turns out they're more like 4-5 years old!

Glad to hear that the investment pays off. My babies are just 3.5 weeks old and won't lay until this fall.

 

[ravenfeathers]

someone posted a link to this site in another thread a few days ago and i enjoyed it. i think it can only be used as a general guide, but it's interesting nonetheless.