How many eggs should I get a day?

[ourcoop62108]

We have a flock of 22. I average between 10-15 eggs a day. Is this pretty good or should I be getting more? The reason for my question is I have noticed several hens with bare bellies. I have also have several hens missing feathers at the base of their tails. I really think this is from pecking each other and not mites but still trying to decide and was wondering if this had anything to do with egg production. This is my first year with chickens so I'm still learning. Any insight is appreciated. Also any tips on how to figure out who is not laying? Thanks!

 

[lightchick]

What breeds are they? If their a high production breed then I'd say you should be getting more eggs.

 

[ourcoop62108]

We have a mixed flock. Some Rhode Island reds, black jersey giants, cinnamon queens and silver laced wyndottes. The feather loss doesn't seem to be affecting the reds or the cinnamon queens. I have no idea what good egg production is and would hate for some of the girls to be sick and not know.

 

[donrae]

How old are your hens and how much space do they have?

If they're young birds, your production is on the low side. Hens shouldn't be missing feathers unless they're molting, and hens aren't going to pick feathers from another hen's belly. Something's going on with your birds physically, sounds like. Physical stress can sure impede egg production.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Twenty two young hens from a commercial laying background and in good health at this time of year should be laying about 20 eggs a day.

Lets say for the sake of saying that you have 20 hens instead of 22.

Then lets say that you have 5 hens of all 4 breeds in your flock.

One RIRs can be expected to lay UP to as many as 300 eggs per year or 1,500 eggs from 5 hens.

One Jersey Giant can be expected to lay UP to 200 eggs per year or 1,000 eggs per year from 5 hens.

One Cinnamon Queen can be expected to lay UP to 300 eggs per year or 1,500 eggs per year from 5 hens.

One Silver Wyandot can be expected to lay UP to 200 eggs per year or 1,000 eggs per year from 5 hens.

All these numbers are the best that can be expected under normal conditions from a backyard flock. But even at this some flocks will do better than the above figures, but remember that some flocks will also lay fewer eggs.

All together we have 20 hens in our example laying 5,000 eggs total.

5,000 eggs is equal to 13.65 eggs per day, fewer in a leap year

If your two extra hens are equally divided between an egg laying and a multi purpose breed that would work out to about 1.33 extra eggs per day.

13.65 eggs per day and 1.33 eggs per day equals almost exactly 15 eggs per day. I do not see any major improvement possibilities with your current flock.

Don't take what I am about to say the wrong way but if your major chicken interest is eggs then how come you have so many big hulking dual purpose breed hens? A duel purpose hen is neither a fish nor a fowl as the old saying goes, but instead she is a Jack of all trades but she is good at none of them.

 

[lightchick]

OK so this may sound dumb but I've never heard of Cinnamon Queens. Well I might have......what are they?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

OK so this may sound dumb but I've never heard of Cinnamon Queens. Well I might have......what are they?

Red sex linked chicken

 

[lightchick]

Red sex linked chicken

Ohh OK! I know what THOSE are! Never heard them called Cinnamon Queens before!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Ohh OK! I know what THOSE are! Never heard them called Cinnamon Queens before!

Different hatcheries/producers use different proprietary names for their hybrids - and from there a lot of people producing their own hybrids will pick up and use the name as well so that what was once a name that would indicate birds produced using that specific producer's "blend" is no longer necessarily the case for all birds sold as "cinnamon queen" etc.

 

[ourcoop62108]

Wow! Thanks for @chickengeorgeto ! The math makes sense and I never thought of it that way. I really appreciate the time and effort in your response. No offense taken. The main focus for our flock is laying, but we do plan do eventually plan to cull a few. Not to mention they have become pets and are very entertaining. As far as good laying hens what breeds do you suggest?