Last Updated on February 22, 2024 by AwesomeChickens
Chickens have many great qualities, and people love to raise them for so many different reasons. One of the biggest reasons people enjoy owning these birds is the abundance of free eggs they provide daily. So, knowing the egg-laying cycle from hatchlings to adults is very important when raising chickens.
Chickens will start to lay eggs once they hit sexual maturity, which on average, is usually around 18 to 20 weeks old. However, it isn’t uncommon for a laying hen to be a late bloomer and start a few weeks later than the rest.
No matter the chicken breed, these animals are pretty easy to take care of and are very independent creatures. It isn’t much you can do in the way of helping them lay eggs. However, it is imperative you provide them with the right tools in order for them to do their thing.
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How Long Does it Take for a Chicken to Lay its First Egg?
Chickens will start laying their eggs around 18 weeks old. Their first egg won’t take very much longer than the rest, meaning it shouldn’t take more than 24-26 hours from the beginning to the end of the laying cycle.
When considering egg size, you’ll have to consider the chicken’s age. A young hen, during its first few weeks of egg-laying, will usually produce a small egg, or at least smaller than average. However, they’ll soon produce larger eggs over time. The first year of laying is the best year for egg production, with a single adult chicken laying up to around 250 eggs.
After that first year, you will notice that production slowly starts to slow down, resulting in fewer eggs. Egg production will eventually stop altogether once your hen reaches around six or seven years old. At this time, your bird has put in their time and are no longer physically able to lay any more eggs.
Can You Eat the First Egg a Chicken Lays?
Although the first egg is a bit smaller than the average size egg, it is totally safe to eat. There is nothing that happens during the first egg production cycle that would cause any concern for consumption.
How Long Do Hens Live After They Stop Laying Eggs?
Besides not having the ability to lay any more eggs, hens are generally healthy until they are about eight or nine years old, meaning they have a good two-to-three years of life left in them once production stops.
Do Chickens Stop Laying Eggs in the Winter?
Most chickens will stop laying eggs in the fall and winter months. You will notice the supply start to decrease as the weather becomes cooler and the days become shorter. Because the process of egg development relies on sunlight, the winter months usually cause a chicken to reserve its energy until spring starts to appear.
When Will Your Chickens Begin Laying Again in The Spring?
Once the snow has melted and the temperatures become more suitable, your chicken will now have a much easier time maintaining its body temperature and will automatically go back into the egg-producing cycle. Once this occurs, the eggs are ready for eating. Or, if a rooster has fertilized them, they are ready for incubation.
How Long Does it Take for a Chicken Egg to Hatch?
Once an egg starts the incubation period, it will take 21 days for it to fully develop and then hatch. There are two ways for baby chicks to form once they have been laid. If you have the right breed of chicken and the hens are broody, they will sit on their eggs to keep them warm. If your breed of chicken isn’t known for being broody, you will need an incubator.
How To Get Your Chicken to Become Broody
If you have a breed of chickens who can become broodies and hatch their own eggs, you will want to make them a comfortable nesting box. However, if your chicken doesn’t voluntarily use the nesting box with her own eggs, you may need to improvise.
If you have a fickle hen, you can con her into becoming a broody by placing “false eggs” in the nesting box. She may slowly warm up to the idea, and once she is sitting on these eggs for a full 24 hours, it is pretty safe to replace them with her real eggs.
Once she is comfortable, she will only leave the eggs for a few minutes at a time when she needs something to eat or drink or just wants to take a walk around the coop. The hens also know to naturally turn the eggs in order for the incubation period to be successful.
If your chicken does her job right, you should start to hear little chirps or peeps from inside the eggs at around 18 weeks, and then baby chicks should appear no more than a week later.
An incubator takes the same amount of time and consists of the same process; however, instead of mama keeping them warm, a heated lamp will do that job. You are responsible for rotating the eggs during the process as well to make sure your chicks are forming properly.
What is the Production of Chicken Eggs Over Time?
As previously stated, chickens can produce eggs during the first few weeks. You may notice they’re smaller in size, but by 30 weeks old, chicken eggs will be perfectly sized and plentiful. After the first year, you will start to notice that your hen’s egg production will decrease. This will continue year after year until they hit retirement.
Once the hen hits their second year of egg production, it will only be laying 80% of the number in eggs it did the first year, 70% the third year, 60% the fourth, and so on until around the fifth or sixth year, when production will stop completely.
To Sum Things Up
Most healthy, happy chickens will start to produce eggs once they reach around 15 weeks old and will continue to produce until they are five-to-seven years old. The production of eggs will be impacted by the age, health, and care given during this production time.
