Question: How long do chicken lay eggs?

[UP_Chicken_Lover]

My husband and I were wondering when we should buy the next batch of babies so that we have continuous eggs..any suggestions? I just love looking at all the beautiful chickens!

 

[DTchickens]

Quote:
some chickens lay all year around.. but most breeds start spring, end fall. if you mean age, most 4 months-10 years,

 

[Wildsky]

Most egg producing places keep their hens till 2 years old.

In a good happy environment, they can keep laying for a lot longer. I'm not sure of how regularly they will lay as they get older, but do expect less eggs as they reach 4 or so years old.

I've "heard" but can't prove that using lights in winter to keep the hens laying will shorten their laying life - not sure if thats true or not. (take a pinch of salt -

)

 

[ibpboo]

I have 6 year old hens that still lay. But once they molt in Oct or Nov, they stop laying until their molt after winter, like in Jan or Feb. Then they lay quite consistently. At least, that is how it has been the past couple years, I am curious to find out if they are going to lay yet another year. My friend had a game hen that lived to be 15 years old, at that age it still laid about a dozen eggs a year.

 

[DTchickens]

Quote:
seems to be common in games.. most of the games i've been around lay until 12-14 years old. then the others "burn out" abut 8-10

 

[ibpboo]

My 6 year old hens are: 2 RIR's, 1 BR and 1 EE.
I also have 2 8 month olds, RIR's that just started laying at 6 months, and are still laying. I had plenty of eggs for turkey day! I have two 6 month old RIR's that haven't started laying yet, but their combs are now red, a sign of ready to lay!

 

[ibpboo]

Quote:
seems to be common in games.. most of the games i've been around lay until 12-14 years old. then the others "burn out" abut 8-10

I love the game hens. I have one, she just moved herself into my yard, lived in my tree for quite awhile, we named her Tree Chick. Then she lived in my tack room for awhile, now I think she is under the barn, she goes broody all the time, but I have no roosters, so the eggs will never hatch.

 

[UP_Chicken_Lover]

WOW.... was not expecting how long they lay or how long they live! So, they will consistently lay approximately an egg a day for years? That is really amazing.