How long does it take for a hen to start laying again after hatching chicks?

[Maddison]

^

 

[Egghead_Jr]

It depends on the bird. I expect them to finish rearing and back to lay in 5 weeks.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It depends on the bird. I expect them to finish rearing and back to lay in 5 weeks.

We must be realistic about our expectations of what we want in a chicken. If a hen goes into hatching mode 3 times a year, 5 weeks of lost egg production each time is 4 months of lost production. Toss in the annual molt, cold weather, and the dark days of winter, and that means that depending on your strain or breed of hens, that you'll barely gather enough eggs to make up an Easter Basket in the spring and a punch bowl of eggnog at Christmas time.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

No kidding. If allowed to raise a clutch believe mine would only attempt to brood twice a year. I've a very broody birds. Regardless, I only allow one or two hens one clutch per spring and bust all others. They come back in lay by two weeks if busted but if raising chicks take more time.

 

[Maddison]

my hens usually aren't allowed to hatch, but after them consistently going on and off I allowed them to hatch. its also never winter in australia and they just got over a molting so... also my hens are frizzle australorps + one naked neck

 

[Hensndoes]

Depends on the hen. I've had a broody Sussex ween her babies at 3 weeks, lay again a little over a week later, then go full broody again within a week. I let a broody cuckoo raise and she didn't ween until 7 weeks later. She laid about a week after weening but went into molt a few weeks later. I haven't seen an egg for 2 months now.

 

[song of joy]

Usually around 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[Petra Pancake]

Same with mine - took them 5-6 weeks to re-start laying.