I hear people talking about six or eight or more eggs a day..... wow how many birds do they have? I have four hens of laying age or older (don't really know how old they are). I have one B sex link, one barred rock, one RIR, and one red star. The most I have ever gotten in a day is 2. They are on Layena and what ever they can glean from there large run. Most of the time its one or none though. I want a bunch of eggs, do I need more birds or is something wrong?
You have 4 PROLIFIC egg layer breeds. On average if they are of the ages between 6 months and 2 1/2 yrs old about each would probably lay 5 to 7 eggs a weel PER BIRD. Older than 2 1/2 yrs the egg production slows. So if you have 4 chickens that are betwenn 6 months and 2 1/2 yrs old on average you should be getting aprrox 3 eggs a day. If you just recently received them they may take a break for a month or so until they get used to their new home. Older chickens don't lay as frequently but they usually lay larger eggs.
I have 9 RIR's & 1 Dominique that are 1 year old I think their considered good layers I think they are. They started out sluggish but they have the wheels turning now. They layed through the winter just fine. My average is and I'm going on the low side about 7 eggs a day.
your doing fine. If you want 6 to 8 eggs a day, you need at least 12 girls. Each hen is different. Some lay nearly daily, some every other. They don't know that we think they should lay 5 days a week. They only know what comes naturally to them. For instance I had a White leghorn named "miss Prissy". She like clockwork would lay an egg, every day for 28 days, take a day or sometimes 2 off, and do it all again for 28 days. So it does vary bird to bird.
I think that you have old chickens. I generally figure 1 or 2 egg less than the total number of laying hens I have. I have 7 hens currently, but one is has a brood, so will not lay. So out of 6 layers, I should be getting between 4-5 eggs per day. It takes 25 hours to make an egg, so even a 'perfect' layer will eventually miss a day. With 4 hens, especially those breeds, you should be getting 2-3 eggs every day. HOWEVER, age really effects the rate of laying, especially on the higher egg producing breeds. Last summer, my red stars were a nearly everyday girls. This summer, their third year has dropped off drastically, while my last years chicks are giving me eggs nearly everyday. Also 7L Farms - your first year hens will lay through out the winter without added light, but the following year, the egg production will fall off with the winter. If you want eggs, you need to keep your flock young, cycling in the new chicks and out the old hens. Mrs.K
