How many years will I get eggs?

[littlechick1005]

My Golden Comet girls are going to be a year old in April...they've been laying eggs since they were about 4 months old and have not stopped, so theyve been laying for about 8 months straight. If they continue on laying their eggs with no pause how many years might they lay their eggs? I know it depends on MANY factors...but just throw me an estimation so I might have some idea.

 

[americana-lover]

Normally, hens will lay eggs for about 2 years. But like you said, there are many different factors that may have them lay longer, or shorter.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've two production reds that will be three years old this spring. I fully intend to take advantage of their jumbo eggs this summer and fall but then intend to make gumbo. Being a production bird like your comets I don't think they will make economic sense to keep over winter again with that poor fourth year laying.

Less high volume birds will lay well right up to five years and more. Also if you use lighting in winter will shorten the overall good laying years. Our reds had additional lighting first two winters, not this one. Each bird is born with a predetermined number of eggs they will lay in a lifetime. High production birds lay the majority of that number in two to three years. Not that they'll stop all together but certainly wont be paying for their feed there after.

 

[donrae]

They won't keep laying without pause unless you heavily supplement light and live in a more temperate area. They'll molt around 18 months old and usually take the winter off, then start back up again in the spring. They'll continue this pattern each year.

I've had hatchery birds laying at 7 years of age. Not laying spectacularly, mind you, but still laying.

A bird is most productive the until that 18 month old mark. After that you need to decide if you want to carry non-producing birds over the winter each year, or cull them and bring in new chicks each spring.

 

[Johnn]

I have 2 ex batts who are 7 in May, they still lay a egg a week in good weather ,my hens are all quite bad layers and are mostly young!

 

[redneck farmer]

So let me get this strait... The less light during winter the long my chickens will lay eggs

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

So let me get this strait... The less light during winter the long my chickens will lay eggs

Well, it's not quite that simple. The hen will probably lay the about same number of egg for her whole life. So you can supplement light in the winter to keep them laying all winter, but then they might not lay as well as they get older. Or not light them in the winter, not get eggs in the winter, but she lays for more years.

You just have to decide if you want more eggs now, or want them spread out over time.

 

[redneck farmer]

Ok I under stand thanks

 

[teach1rusl]

Generally, new, young layers will lay really well through that first year, including winter (if they were spring chicks). That 2nd fall/winter they will ease up a little as they come into their first "real" molt, at least in my experience. Molting means all that protein that was going into eggs now must be put toward growing out a lot of new feathers as quickly as possible, and egg production generally stops or slows way down for a month or so (that first molt - longer the older they get). Then factor in the short days, and the use of energy to stay warm...
Plus of course it depends on breed...
My four oldest will be four this year (orp/barred rock/aust/wyan), and they've been giving me 3-4 eggs each this winter. However, they stopped laying for a solid two months when they molted this past fall. I expect as the days grow warmer and longer, they'll probably lay 4-5 eggs a week each.
I don't supplement light, but do have lots of windows, so they're able to take advantage of as much natural light as possible.

 

[Mattemma]

My RSL hen stop laying after her second year.A waste of feed.Right now my EE's are not laying in there second winter.
I stopped having the light on.People usually do a turn over after 3 to 4 years.My kids won't let me!