How Long Do Chickens Live And Lay Eggs
We get asked this question from time to time, and so we thought that this would exist an excellent fourth dimension to talk about the chick and laying season imminent now.
How Often Do Chickens Lay Eggs?
The brusk answer is – information technology depends on the breed, the hen'south historic period, and the flavour.
Some breeds lay furiously, yet others consider it a bore and lay very infrequently.
First, we will expect at why different breeds lay different amounts of eggs. Then we will 'short contour' some species to give you an idea of what to wait.
How Often Do Chickens Lay Eggs?
The large majority of breeds that you can buy today are geared towards being productive eggs and meat.
This means that most birds you become from the feed store or itemize volition give a steady supply of eggs for 1-2 years. After this fourth dimension, they are considered 'spent,' and industrial concerns will send them to slaughter.
Chickens' egg-laying capabilities can be divided mainly into heritage and production– what'due south the departure?
Production Chickens Egg Laying
Equally the name implies, these birds are raised to produce big eggs over a brusque period.
Certain other qualities of the bird were sacrificed – such as broodiness. After two years, they volition continue to lay, but the amount volition be significantly less.
Heritage Chickens Egg Laying
Heritage hens are slower to outset laying eggs and will not produce eggs every bit profusely as product hens. They tend to spread effectually the same amount of eggs overall, just over a more extended period: 3-5 years.
The corporeality of time information technology takes for an egg to travel down the reproductive tract and be laid is a reasonably consistent 25-27 hour period.
However, the frequency of laying can vary tremendously from brood to breed. For example, a Rhode Island Red product hen may lay 5 eggs per week, just a Sultan craven may lay i egg per calendar week.
4 Star Egg Layers
Let us introduce yous to our selected breeds without farther filibuster – we have given them 'star ratings,' but perhaps a Michelin rating would be more than appropriate!
Leghorns
Instantly recognizable by the floppy comb, this breed comes in several colors: white.
Unfortunately, information technology is the almost abused hen in the industrial setting because of its' laying power. Leghorns can lay between 4-6 medium white eggs per week.
Initially, they were raised for dual purposes, but the meat is no longer considered worthwhile eating.
Leghorns are active foragers and enjoy their freedom. They can be friendly merely dislike being handled too much!
Leghorns are e'er alert and able to fly well, they may roost in a tree if startled by something. They can tolerate a wide range of atmospheric condition and terrain – a very adaptable bird.
Rhode Island Reds
The powerhouse layer born and bred in the US! The Rhode Island Red was created in Rhode Island – where it has a monument to its success.
The Rhode Island Red is a relatively mutual chicken for excellent reasons – it can lay iii-5 big brown eggs per calendar week, and the meat is likewise suitable for stews, etc.
Although originally raised every bit a dual purpose hen, from the 1940s onward, they raised many of the strains for egg-laying lone.
This had the consequence of splitting the brood into 'product' Reds and 'heritage' Reds.
They are calm, friendly and curious, and will often follow you around the k to 'aid.' They enjoy existence active, although they will tolerate confinement.
A docile and somewhat talkative bird can be pushy with other flock members. They are tolerant of various conditions and can thrive fifty-fifty in adversity.
Sussex
This ancient fowl was reputed to have been effectually even in the time of the Roman invasion of Britain!
The Sussex became the quintessential English tabular array bird for many years, and the season of its' meat was said to be unsurpassed.
As a dual purpose hen, the Sussex tin lay betwixt 3-6 large, lite dark-brown eggs per week depending on the particular strain of the bird. They are rarely broody.
Sussex are calm, docile, and curious birds – they dear to provender and don't mind beingness handled. They have heavy, soft feathering and come in several varieties – speckled, Coronation, light, buff, etc.
Tolerant of an extensive range of weather, this hen is wintertime hardy, but they don't thrive in the oestrus.
Delaware
The Delaware hen is another super layer from the The states. It was not an old brood in the 1940s when information technology was the prime bird in broiler houses.
Information technology was soon surpassed by the Cornish cantankerous, which grew much faster than Delaware.
Sadly Delaware has seen a steady decline in numbers which is sorry since information technology'south a great layer averaging 3-iv eggs per week, and the meat is said to exist very flavorful.
Delaware is a calm, confident bird, always alert, and loves to forage. They are pretty friendly, although they cannot be considered a 'cuddly' chicken – there are e'er exceptions.
The feather is silver/white with some black barring on the tail and neck feathers. They are pretty cold-hardy but do not practice well in the heat.
iii Star Egg Layers
Welsummer
Welsummers' originated in the Netherlands in a pocket-sized boondocks called Welsum. It is non a particularly old breed, coming into being in the early 1900s. It is a mix of several different species taking the all-time from them.
The Welsummer is a dual-purpose breed. As an egg layer, it volition give you lot three large speckled, terra cotta-colored eggs a week! They seldom go broody and are said to exist terrible moms.
Welsummer'south are adept foragers who like to roam in the pasture, only they tolerate confinement reasonably well.
They are friendly, easy to handle birds. They practise like the company of humans but cannot exist said to be lap chickens.
The coloring of the Welsummer is a standard red partridge with aureate/ruby highlights.
Barnevelder
The Barnevelder was i of the forebears of the Welsummer – also from kingdom of the netherlands. The breed is a fleck older; since the mid-1800s and was initially bred for dual purposes.
The original stock was undoubtedly a large table bird with the roosters weighing around 10lb and the hens at 7-8lb.
They put out a respectable three-iv large dark brown eggs per week every bit egg layers. Some folks say the eggs are chocolate in appearance, but I take never seen an egg that night.
They are docile and friendly and tend a chip towards laziness. They will forage merely not as well equally other hens.
A low-maintenance hen that tin can tend towards obesity if fed too many treats!
Plymouth Rock
The Plymouth Rock or Barred rock was the outstanding chicken in the United states until World War ii era. You found it in just almost every lawn and poultry business in the US.
Information technology'southward a calm, docile and intelligent bird that is easy to manage, is a good sitter, and makes a good mother.
Raised as a dual purpose bird, the egg-laying is a steady iv large brown eggs per calendar week. The hens will counterbalance in effectually the 7-8lb marking, making a good-sized tabular array bird.
The Rock is tolerant of various temperatures from common cold to moderately hot. A great improver to any flock.
ii Star Egg Layers
Java
Since Victorian times, the Java hen has been the base of operations for endless 'new breeds.' It was created in the US from several Asiatic breeds around the mid-1800s.
It is considered the second-oldest US brood – the first being the Dominique. It was made as a dual-purpose bird, and the size reflects that. The roosters weigh 9½ lb and the ladies seven½ lb.
They will lay 3 medium-large chocolate-brown eggs in the egg department per calendar week.
They were listed as disquisitional by the Livestock Conservancy until reasonably recently. Backyard keepers, such every bit us, became interested in this brood, and the bird has consequently moved to the lesser 'watch' status.
The breed is irksome-growing, and so it does non fit well with the modern poultry industry. The Coffee is friendly, docile, calm, and tolerates confinement well.
Houdan
The Houdan is an onetime and noble French breed known in the area before the 1700s.
It was initially raised as a dual-purpose breed, its delicate white meat being a effeminateness. Egg laying is not quite so outstanding. two-3 pocket-sized white eggs per week are all y'all can expect from this charming bird.
The Houdan is probably amend known in the The states equally an ornamental breed sporting a crest, muff, and beard.
It also has a V-shaped comb and 5 toes – an unusual bird, to exist sure!
The Houdan has a sweet and docile disposition and is hands handled. It does non tolerate the common cold very well but enjoys warmth.
one Star Egg Layers
Sultan
Someone forgot to tell this little bird that chickens lay eggs! Sultans are beautiful and elegant chickens merely lousy at laying eggs.
I pocket-sized white egg per week is all you lot will go. However, if you are into ornamental birds, the Sultan could be your new best friend.
It seems that the Sultan is a bird that has every design characteristic given to chickens! Information technology has a crested caput, V-shaped comb, beard, and muffs. Legs and feet are feathered, and they have 5 toes. Tails are long only non flowing like some Japanese breeds.
They are small birds, weighing 4lb or so (there is also a bantam variety). They are described equally calm, docile, and friendly.
How Often practise Chickens Lay Eggs Summary
There are, of course, many other breeds to choose from, but nosotros have tried to give y'all a choice of hens that lay from good to poor so that you can come across the variability of the egg-laying.
Information technology'southward ever important to ask the seller how many eggs y'all can expect and how long they will lay – both in each year and expected lifetime.
If you lot are non interested in eggs but want some unusual or ornamental birds, there are several to choose from.
The Sultan is just ane of the chickens that lay very infrequently – Cubalaya, Phoenix, and Yokohama are all infrequent layers but require special housing.
We promise this was helpful to you in showing how widely chicken breeds tin can vary and that in that location is a craven brood that volition suit you lot no matter what you inquire of it!
Let us know your favorite chicken breeds in the comments section below…
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