I'm wondering how production slacks off after the first 'round' of egg laying. Has anyone had their hens for 3 years or more, and if so, how much less do they lay per year (on a weekly basis). For instance, hens laying 5 eggs a week the first year, 4 a week the second year, etc. Thanks for any input!
I've had my black star (black sex-link) for 3 years and she's still a regular layer. She lays nearly every day unless we've slacked off on the feed during the winter (a regular argument between me and my partner).
Wow, really? That's great! I'm reading Storey's "How to Raise Chickens" and it makes it sound so bleak! Like keeping a hen after the first year is stupid or something. I want REALITY, dangit, LOL!
I think that book (not that it's a bad one, because there's some great tips in there about raising chicks and what not) is largely based on commercial chickens that aren't kept past their second year, if that long. I know their raising turkey's book is just about worthless if you want to raise heritage turkeys. However, egg production will eventually drop off as the hens get older. Some breeds are better at being layers than others.
Storey's is a great resource.. but I agree. It's not really directed at someone who'll keep their hens 'til they drop dead off the perch.. If you notice, she has like 10 pages about egg layers.. and 720 pages on how to slaughter your birds.. Ok.. maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration.. And really it's a GREAT book. LOTS and LOTS of info. It's the first book I started with, and I'm not sorry. Great overview on chicken raising. Lots of info on feed and housing. And some info on disease. A good general resource. I suppose to some extent feed cost vs. egg laying must go down beyond the first year... But hey.. I'm not ONLY in it for the eggs. So that's ok. I'm just happy to have a pet that pays SOMETHING for herself.. (rather than the cats who've let mice live in the house.. and the poor old dog who's hearing is going, and he doesn't notice we have a visitor until they are ALREADY IN THE DOOR)