Planning Egg Amounts

[3xhhheather]

Hope this is the right place to post--I'm planning to do a CSA-style box for family & friends next year and would like to include eggs. I currently have 15 chicks in the brooder and am considering placing an additional order for 15 more. Everyone interested is into the rainbow look for eggs, or at the very least brown(I've explained there is no difference, but eh trends). I'm just trying to check my math that if I average out laying capacities to 5 eggs per bird/per week that would give me around 12doz eggs a week. I'm also trying to account for potential broodies, accidental roosters, and small layers.

The current batch would lay a rainbow mix, but I'm thinking the next order would be 8 EE's and 7 RIR.

Any thoughts or guidance is appreciated!

 

[HappyClucker7]

What exactly is the question?

 

[3xhhheather]

What exactly is the question?

Just trying to double-check my math that 30 chickens would equal around 12doz a week - first time owning so want to be sure of my expectations.

 

[cherrynberry]

Just trying to double-check my math that 30 chickens would equal around 12doz a week - first time owning so want to be sure of my expectations.

RIR lay pretty much everyday...I would expect more... about 20 eggs a day. We have 13 hens with sexlinks, leghorns, and mostly EEs. We get about 7-9 eggs a day. Its winter you may have to worry about..Although my sexlinks layed through winter. We got around 1-2 eggs in the winter

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Depends ENTIRELY on the Breeds, with some influence of age and time of year (average hours of light at your location).

I have 55 birds, mostly hens, and don't see 12 dozen a week, though I get close. If I let a few more age up, and they get "into sync", I'll probably blow past that number. There is a tremendous amount of variation - and if you are going for a rainbow basket, you will be dealing with a lot of mutts who may vary significantly as individuals.

I have birds that lay, consistently, 5 days out of 7. That's 260 eggs a year. I have birds that lay 3 days out of 5. That's 220 eggs a year. and I have birds that lay with I know not what frequency (problem of a large mixed flock whose eggs are all various shades of pale tan to soft brown). But I know I'm good for 18-20 eggs a day, 2-3 of which will be pekin duck eggs (half my Pekins are immature, and half of the remaining are just starting to lay).

Ameraucana are not famed as frequent egg layers. Barnevelders, with their red-brown eggs are not famed as frequent egg layers. Cochins, Langshans, Marans all have unusual egg colors (in that they tend to be towards the extremes of color), none are famed as prodigious layers of eggs.

Now in the medium browns, there are lots of good egg layers like Welsummers, and plenty of sex links lay moderately brown eggs almost daily, while the typical parent stock of those sex links - the RIR, NHR, barred Rock, etc aren't far behind.

Your goal is roughly 7,500 eggs per year. If we assume 220 eggs per hen per year (/HY) on average for your flock, you want 34-35 prime laying hens. If we assume 260 eggs/HY, your target is 29-30 prime laying hens. If many of your hens are at the low end, just 180 eggs a year, now you need over 40.

...and the last two variables?

Time of year. During late summer, early fall, you might blow way past your target - but during late winter early spring when many birds stop or reduce their lay, you might struggle to get 8 dozen a week (or not, since your flock will all be less than a year old come January)

Hen age - Sex links are generally selected for early maturity and egg production. Typically start laying between 16 and 20 weeks, so eggs you hatch this month (or chicks bought as day old pullets) could be laying by mid-late September. Some other breeds might not start laying until mid November, or later - and due to the shortening amount of daylight (see above, multiple mentions) a few may delay start of lay until early Spring.


Essentially, make an educated guess, roll your dice, take your chances. No guarantees.

 

[3xhhheather]

@U_Stormcrow thank you so much for the insight! It definitely adds perspective to what I've been rambling to myself about and adds some confidence to the semi-winging it part lol

 

[3xhhheather]

RIR lay pretty much everyday...I would expect more... about 20 eggs a day. We have 13 hens with sexlinks, leghorns, and mostly EEs. We get about 7-9 eggs a day. Its winter you may have to worry about..Although my sexlinks layed through winter. We got around 1-2 eggs in the winter

Winter is definitely a concern, hoping everyone will be understanding that things may have to drop for a few months.

 

[aart]

Winter is definitely a concern, hoping everyone will be understanding that things may have to drop for a few months.

Anyone using a CSA should understand 'seasonal food'....eggs are also seasonal food.