What time do chickens lay eggs??

[JennaLynn122]

JennaLynn122,
Thanks so much.. I feel better now!!

no problem hon. A lot of the time they will look super small compared to a bigger, faster growing, or fluffier hen. As long as she is eating drinking laying and pooping normally and not super boney. She will be just fine.

 

[DarleneE]

Okay.. thank you again!! God Bless!!

 

[lovemy6hens]

Here is a link to an ISA poultry technical bulletin on laying times that I found helpful: Oviposition Times and Shell Quality

 

[DarleneE]

Thank you very much!!

 

[eggactlycurious]

Mine usually lay sometime between 9 AM and noon. I'm not sure if this is normal or not but this seems to be the norm for them. Sometimes when I pick up the eggs when I go home for lunch, they are still warm. Sorry, but I think HeChicken was right "Any time there is daylight is a good time to lay an egg".

Same here, my RIR lays between 10:30 a.m. and Noon, like clockwork. Guess she likes to sleep in and have her morning coffee first!

 

[sirrahm]

After reading the material on the ovipostion times and shell quality it sounds like it would be very helpful if you are running a production coop and selling massive amounts of













eggs.
My girls produce for me and some of my neighbors and I usually get 4-5 eggs every day out of 6 girls. They eat a quality crumb with a scratch for variety. I fill two 5 gal feeders and they free feed at will. They get lettuce,tomatoes, during the week and for treats they get raisins, cheerios, boiled potatoes, and maybe a bag of chips on the holidays. They will tackle you for their cherry tomatoes and the raisins. They are up at dawn and down at dusk. They also free range.
My girls will lay throughout the day from dawn to dusk. I check the nests in the morning and in the evening for the past 3 years and one thing is for certain; they will lay anytime they want but are consistent layers even in the winter. (Winter they get a florescent bulb so they have at least 14 hours of light if its not too cold otherwise I diminish their light to give them more energy for warmth and less for egg laying. The pics are of my original stock they are three years old and going strong. I have added an additional 6 this year 4 cochins one more americana and one black sex link. The ducks? Well they have to get in on everything so their pic did also. The old saying goes a happy chicken produces many eggs. Yep these girls are spoiled rotten but it's a two way street..

 

[lovemy6hens]

Yes, the bulletin is definitely geared toward commercial production. An interesting guide, no less.
We usually have 4 eggs each day from our four sweethearts, some time around 11am. Lights out is sundown (no artificial lighting).
Your girls are so adorable, sirrahm! I'll have to try the cherry tomatoes.

 

[lovemy6hens]

We occasionally hear the post-oviposition cackle from our neighbor's hens around 1 AM.

 

[katekearby]

Here is a link to an ISA poultry technical bulletin on laying times that I found helpful:
Oviposition Times and Shell Quality

after reading this I may be more confused. So if the hanging feeder of laying ration with grit and oyster shell has food in it all the time, and I usually give them 'snacks' later in the day, Am I do it all wrong?

 

[lovemy6hens]

I think you're doing it exactly right! We feed ours the same way and I hope they're as happy as they make us, especially with the treats!
The bulletin is geared toward commercial production, so relevant for us on BYC for comparison only.