Do you ever wonder: how many eggs do chickens lay a day? There are a number of factors that influence the answer. In general, hens start laying eggs between 18 and 23 weeks of age. At least one egg should be laid every day if the conditions are ideal. At this age, it's possible for your hen to lay 2 eggs a day.

During the hen's natural behavior, it lays eggs, sits on a nest, and waits for its young to hatch. You will, however, gather the eggs in your backyard, so the hen will carry on laying more eggs.

Within two and a half years, a normal hen might lay more than 900 eggs, one a day from her first egg. There are, however, exceptions to this rule, plus they depend on a variety of factors. Several of those factors will be discussed in this article.

Factors That Influence Egg-laying​

How Many Eggs Do Chickens Lay a Day?

Around 2 to 3 years of age is the average age at which most hens will stop laying. Besides age, other factors can affect a chicken's ability to lay eggs as well. Here are the most common causes:

Deficiency in nutrition​

Poor nutrition can prevent hens from laying. Your hen's egg-laying cycle might be compromised if she's receiving an imbalanced diet or lacks the right nutrients. She'll have problems laying if she doesn't eat enough; however, did you know that salt can also affect her egg-laying if she receives too much or too little?

Proper food that contains enough calcium, sodium, minerals, and vitamins will help your bird lay the correct number of eggs each day.

Moldy Food​

A hen's ability to lay eggs is also affected by moldy food. The presence of mold in food releases toxins into the food. The same toxins can cause your hen to become sick & unable to lay eggs.

In the backyard, chickens will eat almost anything. In the yard, if your hen eats something that isn't part of her regular feed, she can get sick and stop laying eggs. Hens may halt egg production if they eat seeds from certain plants, for instance.

Changes in Season​

In the winter months, most chickens stop laying, or their laying decreases significantly. As the days shorten, her hormone levels decrease and her egg production slows down significantly as a result of the lack of sunlight.

Variation Between Breeds​

It is known that some breeds of chickens are better at laying than others. Approximately 250-300 eggs are laid by chicken breeds like White Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds each year. The egg-laying ability of other breeds, however, is poor.

Feed stores generally sell good or excellent egg-laying breeds. The most common best egg laying breeds are Buff Orpingtons, Australorps, Easter Eggers, Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, etc.

Therefore, you can expect to receive about 5 eggs per week from each hen in the first 2 years. My recommendation is to always purchase a few more chickens than you think you'll need when starting out. This way, if you lose a few or they turn out to be roosters, you still have plenty of hens. And you can never have too many eggs!

How Many Eggs Do Chickens Lay a Day?

Age​

The number of eggs you collect in a day will also depend on other factors, such as their age. It is during the first 2 years of a hen's life that she is most prolific. She will produce fewer eggs each year after this.

Protein Deficiency​

A hen that lacks protein will lay fewer eggs since eggs are made of protein. A 15-18% protein feed should be given to laying hens once they are 20 weeks old. Egg production cannot be supported by anything less.

Excessive Treats​

The daily protein intake of your bird decreases when you give it too many treats, such as scratch grains and table scraps. The birds fill up on these treats like french fries. As a result of being full, they will consume less of their protein-rich layer feed, resulting in a decrease in their daily protein intake.

90% of their daily diet should be made up of their feed and only 10% treats.

Molting​

Birds molt annually, which means they drop their old feathers and grow new ones. Fall is the most common time for this to occur. Although some birds do molt their first fall, most won't.

Birds require a lot of protein to grow new feathers, which is very stressful for their bodies. Keratin is a protein found in feathers.

Birds that are sick, injured or stressed​

While their bodies are recovering from injury and illness, injured and unwell birds will not be able to lay the maximum amount of eggs.

There will also be fewer eggs laid by birds with parasites, diseases, or stress. Predator harassment (especially on free range chickens), hot or cold temperatures (45-85 degrees F is ideal), over-mating by a rooster, bullying by other birds, and moving to a new flock are some common stress factors.

How to Increase Egg Production​

How Many Eggs Do Chickens Lay a Day?

Having learned how many eggs chickens should lay each day & some factors that affect their egg-laying abilities, we'll give you some tips below to increase egg production.

Providing for your hen's basic needs is something you probably already know. To keep them active and healthy, you need to feed them well and provide fresh water. Furthermore, regardless of the season or weather, it's crucial to have a stable water source.

Keep Your Coops Clean​

Dirty coops will not encourage hens to lay eggs. Be sure to keep your coops clean & don't overcrowd them. When chickens feel crowded and are unable to nest, they will stop laying.

Invest in artificial lighting​

Light also plays a role in egg production, which many chicken keepers don't realize. To achieve optimal egg-laying production, hens need 14 hours of daylight, which means during winter they aren't getting enough light.

An artificial light source, however, will make sure your layers lay the right number of fresh eggs a day if you install one in her hen house.

Are chickens capable of laying eggs without roosters?​

It's possible for healthy hens to lay eggs without a rooster. Those eggs won't become chicks because they'll be unfertilized. Most chickens will be ready to lay eggs in 6 months, but it varies by breed.

When do hens lay eggs during the day?​

Five to six hours after sunrise is the usual time for hens to lay eggs. Their egg-laying time isn't really set. Their environment plays a role again in this case. However, the best time of day to check for eggs is within six hours of the sun rising.

How Many Eggs Do Chickens Lay a Day?

Is it possible for a chicken to lay two eggs a day?​

Yes, of course. Sometimes hens can lay two eggs per day, but this is very rare.

In a week, how many eggs will two chickens lay?​

The eggs you get from two chickens will range from 10 to 14 per week. Is it possible for a chicken to lay 10 eggs a day?

Unfortunately, no. The number of chickens you need to get 10 eggs per day is 12-14. There are, however, no guarantees. This is only an estimate.

Conclusion​

Chickens lay different numbers of eggs a day, so the answer to the question is really subjective. The number of eggs your hens lay depends on what's happening in the coop, the intensity of the light, and what food you feed them.

Ensure the safety of your backyard flocks from predators (especially if they free-range) to prevent stress and inspect them regularly for parasites such as mites.

To ensure your hens are laying eggs, make sure you check the factors listed above. Getting optimal production out of your hens while maintaining their health is important, so talk to your vet if you are worried about them.

On average, how many eggs do your chickens lay a day?
  • Like
Reactions: muddy75