when chickens stop laying

[catterbug]

I was reading up on egg laying and it said that chickens only lay eggs for one year. Is this true? I know as they get older they will lay less eggs but I thought they would lay eggs for longer than 1 year.

 

[CalebtheChicken]

Chickens NEVER stop laying. (completely)

 

[gritsar]

In commercial laying houses the chickens are culled out around 15 months; not because they stop laying - not at all - but because they are just short of the age when they would normally start their first big molt and it's not considered cost effective to sustain them through a molt. I believe that's part of where the first year myth comes from.
Chickens generally lay best in their first, into their second year. They will continue to lay eggs through their whole life, just not as much.

My chickens laid great during their first year and good through their first winter. Went through their big molt and were slow to start back up again. Now they are 26 months old and they are laying better than they did even in their first year. I have 13 hens and they have averaged 8 eggs a day for the past week or so; that's with temps. approaching 100 every day.

 

[catterbug]

Great explanation. Thank you.