Can a chicken lay eggs every day? When does the gestation period begin?

When breeding poultry, every farmer wonders what the level of productive activity of his livestock will be. After all, the profitability of the business and the percentage of profit that the poultry farmer will receive in the future depend on this indicator. The amount of egg production obtained from one individual is directly influenced by many factors - from housing conditions to diet.

Eggs are a widely demanded product that you can’t do without in any culinary affairs. But few people know when chickens begin to lay eggs and how many eggs one hen can produce per day or month. The first egg laid indicates that the bird has reached sexual maturity and is ready for production activities.

The beginning of egg laying in chickens directly depends on the breed.

In the poultry industry, there are three main areas of activity for chickens, and each breed or cross has a specific maturation period. Of course, deviations from the standard are possible, but they are insignificant.

Egg-laying chickens mature quite early and begin laying eggs at the age of 4.5-5.5 months. This applies to both pure breed birds and hybrids, which can produce their first egg as early as 4 months.

The hens of meat and egg production take a little longer to mature and begin to lay eggs 5.5-6.5 months after birth. As for meat chickens, their stable egg production can be guaranteed only at 7-8 months of age. As a rule, heavy breeds of chickens first actively increase muscle mass, and only then take care of the offspring.

Important. Upon the onset of puberty in autumn or winter time The hen may start laying eggs later than expected. This occurs as a result of contraction daylight hours and lower temperatures. If the chicken has reached sexual maturity before winter and is kept in a warm room, then it will continue to actively produce products in the cold season.

Chickens of egg breeds begin to produce eggs at 4-4.5 months.

The number of eggs laid is directly affected by the conditions in which the bird lives. While maintaining an optimal microclimate and a properly organized diet, the laying hen will consistently please the owner with products. However, violation of the requirements for living conditions and care can provoke a deterioration in productivity or even its suspension.

Seasonality can also affect productivity indicators: in summer, chickens produce eggs more often, in winter the rate decreases noticeably. Therefore, there is no exact answer to the question of how many eggs a black whale can produce per day or year.

If kept responsibly at home, one hen produces one egg per day. IN winter period their egg production decreases, and representatives of the egg breed begin to lay eggs every other day, while other breeds completely stop producing eggs.

A chicken can produce a maximum of 1 egg per day, and this limit is set by nature. The biological maturation of the yolk, its entry into the oviduct, further advancement, fouling with protein and covering with a shell takes at least 25 hours, and it is impossible to speed up the process of egg formation.

A chicken of any breed can lay no more than 1 egg per day.

IN modern conditions Factories specializing in raising poultry and breeding new breeds collect more than 300 eggs per year from one bird, which means that one chicken can lay no more than one egg per day at a poultry farm.

Egg production per week averages from 3-4 to 7 eggs. One hen produces approximately 15-30 eggs per month, and about 200-300 eggs can be expected from a laying hen per year. At the most favorable conditions you can hope for 330 eggs.

It is important to remember that egg production indicators are influenced not only by housing conditions, time of year and diet, but also stressful situations, the presence of foreign animals and loud sounds in the room.

When choosing chickens for breeding on a private farm, you should know the comparative indicators of the annual egg production of some breeds:

Leghorn hens can lay up to 300 eggs per year.

Russian White - lays about 200-240 eggs per year weighing 55-60 grams;
Leghorn - produces about 200-250 pieces per year (sometimes up to 300) weighing 55-65 grams;
New Hampshire - lays 180-240 eggs annually weighing 60-70 grams;
– produces approximately 340-350 pieces each year weighing 60-65 grams;
Loman Brown - carries 315-320 eggs weighing about 63-64 grams;
Hisex white - lays about 300-315 pieces per year, weighing 63-64 grams;
Brekel - produces annually 180-200 eggs weighing 58-60 grams;
Russian Crested - carries about 160-180 pieces weighing 55-60 grams;
Hisex Brown - produces 280-300 eggs per year weighing about 70 grams.

Without knowing the characteristics of the body of poultry, most ordinary people mistakenly believe that it is impossible to get eggs without the participation of a rooster. This is not true, since laying in adult laying hens is a physiological process that does not require the presence of a gentleman. The main thing to remember is that females who have reached puberty, without the direct participation of a rooster, will only lay unfertilized eggs that can be eaten.

In cases where poultry are bred only to obtain eggs, the stock is usually disposed of during the winter, because keeping it in cold conditions is not at all easy. The chicken community resumes in the spring. Often this method of raising birds is used by summer residents who do not have the opportunity to be on their country plot all year round.

Attention. If the purpose of breeding chickens is to produce offspring, then you cannot do without a rooster. It is known that the natural instincts of hens suggest better productivity in the presence of a rooster in the house than when using an incubator.

Chickens lay eggs regardless of whether there is a rooster on the farm.

Chickens are divided into meat, egg and meat-egg breeds. There are meat and egg species of poultry that can boast not only impressive dimensions, but also good egg production. For example, breeds such as Orlovskaya, Sussex and Augsburger supply the owner with up to 250 products every year.

Egg-laying hens are quite light, weigh no more than 2 kg, are distinguished by their activity and special grace, obtain their own food and are very fond of walks in the fresh air. Such chickens are enough early age reach sexual maturity, and already at 4 months they bear their first fruits.

Cross-breed chickens have unique egg production characteristics, which are capable of producing about 315 eggs per year. The only nuance in their breeding is that there is no point in expecting offspring from them, since these birds were bred genetically. To obtain egg products, crosses are purchased at 4 months of age. For example, the popular cross Hisex White lays about 300-315 eggs per year, Tetra SL - 300, and Isa Brown - as many as 320 eggs annually.

Isa Brown chickens are one of the most egg-laying crosses.

For any farmer, it is important not only to increase the number of eggs produced, but also to achieve stability in these indicators every year. To do this, it is necessary to strictly implement a number of special measures to ensure proper conditions of detention and a balanced daily menu.

Optimal temperature

In household farming due to temperature fluctuations There are often jumps in productivity: egg production increases in summer and declines in winter.

Chickens react acutely to change climatic conditions for the worse, but excessively low, or vice versa, high temperature has a detrimental effect on the egg production of laying hens.

To provide birds with comfortable living conditions, several rules should be followed:

In winter, a heater should be placed in the chicken coop.

A poultry house for keeping in winter should not have cracks that will allow cold wind to pass through. To do this, you should seal them tightly, close the holes and insulate the floor with peat bedding, with the addition of dry sawdust or straw. After trampling down the first layer, apply the second one on top, and repeat this several times. These measures are enough to ensure the temperature in the chicken coop is from 12 to 18 degrees, which is ideal for winter.
If the winter is too cold, heaters should be placed as an additional measure. Sleeping perches should be installed at a level of 60 cm from the ground, and ensure a flow of fresh air into the room.
The optimal microclimate in the chicken coop should be no higher than 18 degrees, and the humidity should be 70%.

Important. If chickens are kept in a room with a temperature no higher than 5 degrees, then their productivity decreases by 15%, but if in an overly warm chicken coop with a temperature of 30 degrees, productivity drops by 30%.

Poultry house illumination

As the light level decreases, hens begin to prepare for sleep, their activity subsides, and feed consumption decreases significantly, which together leads to a decline in egg production. Daylight hours should not be less than 12 hours or more than 14. B autumn-winter period You can extend the lighting time using electric lamps - this will increase the rate of egg laying by 30%.

Properly selected nutrition is the main factor affecting poultry performance. It is extremely important to follow the regime and feed the bird in the prescribed portions, avoiding overfeeding and underfeeding. In the morning, food is given immediately after waking up, and in the evening 1 hour before going to bed.

The composition of the feed should include proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the required proportions. Food must be rich in macro- and microelements to ensure good health and good productivity for the laying hen.

Good egg production directly depends on the diet of chickens.

Perfect for the daily menu different types cereals diluted with water or milk. You can also feed individuals with a combination feed, which will greatly facilitate the feeding process.

We must not forget about fresh greens, which are the main source useful substances. Dandelion, nettle, clover and alfalfa will provide the bird's body with necessary vitamins, A eggshell, chalk and crushed shell rock will enrich it with minerals.

Choosing the right breed

To increase egg production rates, the poultry farmer should give preference to chickens of egg breeds rather than meat ones. These breeds reach sexual maturity early and will produce sufficient egg production. Among the common egg breeds are Russian White Hens, Italian Partridges, Leghorns, Czech Goldens, etc.

From a theoretical point of view, chickens can produce eggs for about 7-10 years. However, in practice, the end of egg production for laying hens is 1.5 years, for meat-egg breeds it is about 4 years.

Meat and egg hens lay up to 4 years, egg hens - up to 2 years.

Every year, poultry productivity decreases by 15%, while they consume the same amount of feed as young livestock. Therefore, any experienced poultry farmer understands that keeping a chicken for more than 2-3 years is not advisable. It is recommended to slaughter such birds, which is practiced regularly in poultry farms.

Humanity tried chicken meat and eggs thousands of years ago. Since then, it is difficult to imagine the diet of any of us in which these products would be absent. Many people not only raise chickens to provide themselves with food, but also actively build a business on it. Therefore, poultry farmers, before purchasing a young generation, wonder how egg production will be? How to determine frequency?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to answer this question with maximum accuracy. This is because this is influenced by a large number of factors, for example, chicken nutrition, maintenance, weather conditions, seasonality.

Therefore, it is unrealistic to determine how many eggs chickens will lay per day. Some are of the opinion that one hen lays no more than one egg per day, while others claim that eggs are laid every other day. First of all, an experienced poultry farmer is aware that the number of eggs directly depends on the breed of birds.

Chicken breeds

Experts in the field of chicken breeding have long divided this bird into 3 main breeds:

Meat chickens.
Egg hens.
Universal chickens (combination of meat and eggs).

In fact, all breeds of chickens can lay eggs, the only difference is in their number. For example, meat chickens produce approximately 100-150 eggs per year. But those breeds that are egg-bearing can lay about 200-230 eggs in the same time.

So what is the difference between a meat breed and an egg breed:

Egg hens are often small in size.
They go through puberty quite quickly.

It is possible to distinguish the following breeds of chickens that are characterized by maximum egg production:

etc.

Today, many poultry farmers prefer hybrids. This is because their price is almost the same as that of ordinary laying hens, but the living conditions are much simpler, there are no special recommendations. They are unpretentious. At the same time, the egg production of hybrids is 10% higher. But it is important to remember that when crossing, this figure will decrease.

What is the peculiarity of egg production?

In nature, many birds lay eggs only when they are about to give birth to new offspring. Domestic chickens do not have this tendency. In order for laying hens to lay eggs all year round, they should be provided with appropriate conditions. Thanks to this, you can expect up to 300 eggs per year.

Egg production in chickens begins during puberty. But when it comes depends directly on the breed. Those individuals that belong to the bark breeds can lay eggs already at 17-20 weeks of life. But meat and egg ones not earlier than after 6 months. Representatives of meat breeds will be pleased with eggs only after 8 months.

In the chicken body, a yolk (egg) is initially formed. During the entire period of passage through the organs of egg formation, it is covered with protein. Next, add all the necessary shells, and only then the yolk. If the conditions of detention and nutrition are met correctly, then this process lasts approximately 22-25 hours.

What is also important is that a chicken is capable of laying eggs without the participation of a rooster. Therefore, there is no great need for it. His presence is needed only when the farmer's goal is to breed offspring. This is because only eggs fertilized by a rooster can become chickens in the future.

Beneficial period for egg production

Farmers who have been raising chicken offspring for a long time know that the best time for laying eggs is spring, since the weather is warm.

Many people wonder how long one chicken lays eggs. One fact is known here: a laying hen lays the largest number of eggs in the first year of life. After this, egg production will gradually decrease.

Because of this, large farms that keep chickens for the purpose of obtaining eggs send them to slaughter after a year and acquire new offspring.

Of course, if the conditions for keeping the chicken population are high level, then it makes sense to keep laying hens for several years. After all, poultry houses, timely feeding, and correct feeding plays a very important role. On average, a laying hen in such conditions can lay 200 eggs in a year.

How to increase egg production

The question of how to increase egg production worries almost every farmer. Basically, everyone uses the same method.

This method involves extending daylight hours. For this, various light bulbs are used, which are adapted to the chicken coop. If a laying hen thinks that there are 28 hours in a day, then she will lay eggs all this time. The most optimal time for egg production without harm to the bird is 13 hours.

This method has a significant drawback; it significantly shortens the life of the hen.

Also plays a significant role fresh air and thermal conditions. If during the period when the chicken lays eggs, she has warm earrings, a comb and earlobes, then everything is fine, the individual feels well, and the conditions of detention are correct.

Note! It is in the comb, lobes and earrings that the pigment is present, which is responsible for the formation of the egg shell.

Each poultry farmer has an individual approach to increasing egg production. However, it is worth knowing all the recommendations, then the result will be more productive.

In order for a laying hen to lay eggs well, this requires an appropriate temperature regime in the chicken coop. Comfortable nests and a good aviary for walking play an important role.

It is also very important to provide laying hens with balanced feed, complete with vitamins and minerals. The diet should include both dry food and mash, and fresh greens.

At a certain point in its life, a chicken stops laying eggs for a certain period, this moment is molting. After its completion, egg production begins to be active.

Experienced poultry farmers take this into account, so they often triple the molt artificially. To do this, the bird is starved for a certain period of time. At this time, only water is allowed. This kind of starvation causes the laying hen stressful state, and she begins to shed. After that, vitamin and mineral fattening begins without fail. This speeds up the molting process, and the chickens begin to lay eggs faster.

To increase egg production, some farmers add various feed and premixes to the diet.

How to make chickens lay eggs well in winter can be seen in the video.

How to Define Good Performance

Firstly, a good layer is different appearance. She has fairly dense bones and not a very large body mass. The chicken is not large, we can say that it is quite small. The plumage is very smooth and beautiful. The wings are large, as is the scallop. Most often he “looks” a little to the side. Also, productive chickens have a soft belly.

In addition, laying hens are very active, they can be seen in the enclosure early in the morning, but they enter the chicken coop late.

The Leghorn is recognized as the best egg-laying breed. On average, one laying hen produces about 170-240 eggs per year. And in 1971, she supplied a record number of eggs - 371 eggs per year.

When does the gestation period begin?

Egg production starts differently for each breed. As already mentioned, hens lay eggs from the age of five months. Hybrids start a little later, with a lag of 1.5-2 months. At this time, the duration of daylight hours should be kept to 12 hours. Then it should be gradually increased so that by 9 months the daylight hours last for about 17 hours.

There are also cases when laying hens start laying eggs anywhere, and you have to spend a lot of time searching. To avoid this, you can try placing objects in the nests that look like eggs. For this they use various material: wood, plaster, metal, etc.

There is another method that is more effective. In normal chicken egg a small hole is made, all contents are removed, and filled with any solution (it can be plaster or alabaster). All that's left is to put the egg in the chicken's nest.

Feeding features for good egg production

In order for laying hens to delight with their productivity, they should be provided with timely and proper nutrition. This is especially true in the winter. Cereals in a certain quantity should be given in sprouted form.

It’s actually very simple to germinate grains, you should take, for example, corn or barley, pour a small amount into a small container warm water. Leave it all in a warm room. In this case, one should adhere to a certain temperature regime, about 25°C. The grain should not be allowed to dry out. After just a couple of days, the first shoots will be visible. It is at this stage that food can be given to birds.

Other poultry farmers increase productivity by adding yeast to the feed. The recipe is also very simple. You should take 30 g of yeast (necessarily fresh) and dilute it in 1.5 liters of water. Next, add 1 kg of crushed grain to the resulting consistency. The resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed and allowed to brew for 8-9 hours in a warm place. After infusion, the composition can be given to chickens. Not in pure form, but with mash.

In order for laying hens to lay eggs well in winter, they need a special diet. Which one you can see in the video.

Please note

The following factors can influence a chicken’s egg production:

Molting period.
Sudden temperature changes.
Cold (for some breeds).
Diseases.
Insufficient light.
Other stressful situations.

The most fruitful period is the time before the start of molting (this is almost 90% of the potential). After molting is completed, productivity decreases by 85%, and sometimes up to 80%.

On average, the molting period can last from 2 weeks to several months. After it has come to an end, the conditions of detention are appropriate, egg production will begin to increase rapidly.

Also, the number of eggs may decrease with the age of the hen. The older the chicken, the fewer eggs there will be. In addition, they may be of poor quality, for example, with a damaged shell or various flaws.

Sometimes there may be eggs with two yolks - this is absolutely normal. This is because 2 yolks leave the ovary one after the other (almost simultaneously). In the oviduct, they are already covered with all the membranes and protein, and finally with the shell. In such cases, there is no need to do anything, everything will go away on its own.

In order to have eggs all year round, you need to purchase young animals after a certain period. It turns out that adult laying hens will in full swing lay large eggs, the younger generation will grow up rapidly.

Another question that interests novice poultry farmers is how many years does a chicken lay? The total egg production can be reduced to 10 years. But only the first year will be available maximum quantity, all subsequent ones, productivity will gradually decrease. For this reason, large poultry farms do not keep chickens for more than a year.

As can be seen from the article, determining how often chickens lay eggs is not difficult. But it is possible to determine for what period they will lay eggs.

Often you have to deal with how many eggs a chicken lays during the day, month, year. The interest of keeping it depends on how many eggs you can get from a chicken. But before answering this question, it is necessary to understand the features of oviposition.

When do chickens start laying eggs?

The egg-laying period begins at the time of puberty, which depends on which direction of productivity the bird belongs to. As you know, egg breeds of chickens mature faster. On average, egg laying begins at 4.5-5 months of a bird’s life. Chickens belonging to the meat-egg direction mature longer and begin to lay eggs in 6 - 6.5 months. Meat chickens are the latest breeds to mature, laying eggs at 7-8 months. High egg production is not a priority for such breeds; all energy is spent on building muscle mass.

How quickly a farmer can get his first egg products depends on the place where the chickens were purchased. If the birds were purchased at a breeding farm or poultry farm, then the farmer knows exactly the breed/cross of the bird, can navigate by productivity, predict how much product he can approximately get by studying the characteristics of the chickens he purchased. If you buy poultry at the market, you should not count on purebred chickens; they mostly sell mixed chickens. It is impossible to predict any time frame when a chicken will start laying eggs and how many eggs it will produce.

How many eggs does a chicken lay per year?

The annual productivity of a chicken indicates which direction it belongs to; of course, egg-laying chickens produce the most egg production per year. By external qualities they are small in size and have high motor activity. The average productivity of egg breeds is 200-240 eggs, egg hybrids produce 280-320. Summer time is the most fruitful, birds lay eggs every day; in winter you can get eggs much less often. Meat and egg breeds of chickens lay 160-180 pieces per year, meat breeds lay fewer eggs (another direction of productivity). They lay 120-160 eggs per year. But the eggs of meat breed chickens are large.

How many eggs does a chicken lay per month?

Egg breeds produce 18-27 eggs. From meat and egg chickens there are 12-16, and from meat chickens on average up to 12 pieces.

How many eggs does a chicken lay per day?

A good egg-producing hen can lay one egg per day. It all depends on how long it takes to form inside the bird’s body. On average, you get 1 egg per day from egg. From meat and egg chickens 1 time every two days, from meat breeds 1 time every three days. It should be taken into account that egg laying is influenced by the molting period and the emergence of the brooding instinct in birds.

Ways to increase egg production in chickens

Productivity is influenced by many factors; first of all, you need to start with the diet, it must be nutritious and contain a sufficient amount of vitamins, amino acids and mineral components. A properly formulated diet will not only increase egg production, but also strengthen the immune system, and the quality and quantity of eggs will be higher. The dietary intake rate for chickens must be controlled to prevent obesity, which reduces the number of eggs. In addition to the diet, various premixes and special feed for laying hens are used, designed to increase the number of eggs produced.

Look at: lighting, temperature environment and conditions for keeping birds. If it is grown in cages, then the microclimate is a major factor, as it must be maintained all year round. Stress should not be allowed to arise when temperature and conditions change. If the bird is kept on the floor, then the bedding should be dry, clean, and changed frequently. If it remains dirty for a long time, it means the humidity rises and microorganisms multiply, leading to bird disease and weakened immunity. If a bird can lay eggs in an unheated coop, egg production may simply stop if the temperature drops to extremes below zero. Heat in the chicken coop still needs to be created. The duration of daylight hours is 12-14 hours in winter, when natural light is reduced.

How many years do chickens lay eggs?

Despite the created conditions, breed and individual characteristics birds need to understand that their productivity is not endless. They reach a peak in the number of eggs in the second year of life, after which the decline occurs by 15% per year. Egg hens at poultry farms are replaced every year, but chickens living at home live up to 3-5 years. It is not economically profitable to use them further, feed consumption is stable, and the meat will lose its taste and usefulness. The most valuable breeds of birds do not live more than 5 years. The number of eggs laid decreases, and their quality can no longer be used as hatching eggs.

The optimal lifespan for a chicken is when the economic and useful part obtained from it is the same, 2-3 years. Of course, the life expectancy of chickens depends on the farmer and on the goals of raising and keeping the birds.

People who run their own households mostly raise chickens. These are not necessarily meat breeds; chickens are also kept in order to receive fresh eggs. Therefore, especially novice farmers are seriously concerned about the question: how many laying hens lay per day, because they want to know how many eggs it is possible to get per month, per year. Is it possible to make a business out of this?

It is impossible to give an exact figure, since various factors affect how often a chicken will lay eggs. Let's find out what these factors are and how many eggs it can give us laying hen. What makes her run better?

How many eggs does a chicken lay?

The number of eggs laid by chickens per day, per month or per year depends directly on the conditions of detention. The main thing that needs to be done is to maintain the desired microclimate in the chicken coop all year round and Right feed the chickens

It is interesting to note that a case was recorded when a laying hen laid 371 eggs in a year. This means that sometimes she gave more eggs a day. It is not uncommon to find two yolks under one shell; you have probably seen this. But nine yolks in one egg is a rarity, however, this has happened.

How many eggs a chicken lays per day, per year, depends on the breed of laying hen.

All breeds are divided into three categories:

meat;
egg;
meat and eggs.

Increasing performance

Farmers specializing in poultry breeding try to get as many eggs as possible per year if they are interested in this product. How much a bird will carry is influenced by its breed, age, and, as noted, living conditions. Stress and an unkempt chicken coop will not make the bird lay eggs better, but they can discourage them from laying eggs.

In summer, when the days are long and food more diverse Birds, as a rule, fly more actively. In winter, they need high-quality lighting and food enriched with vitamins and microelements.

Let's look at the factors that determine how much of a product is produced.

Proper nutrition. The balance of macro- and microelements will provide chickens with strong health and high performance. Food should be served on a schedule and overfeeding should be avoided, as well as underfeeding. Food must contain fats, proteins, carbohydrates (in the correct proportions). The different grains are mixed and water or milk is added to them. To improve egg production, birds need green vegetables, calcium and phosphorus.

Temperature. Low temperature will reduce the efficiency of laying eggs, so the chicken coop should be insulated.

Illumination. As the day length increases, egg production increases. In this regard, in the autumn-winter period, the chicken coop should have high-quality artificial lighting. It is recommended to use fluorescent lamps. Make sure that there is at least 14 hours of light, otherwise the bird will not have enough time to rest properly. An extended 14-hour day will provide a productivity of about 1 piece/day.

Air humidity should be 60-70%, otherwise productivity will be reduced, as the hens will be uncomfortable.

Egg production depends on how many chickens live per unit area. Too high a density will cause a decrease in poultry productivity. It is recommended to house 4-6 chickens per 1 m², depending on their weight. Increasing the number of hens will negatively affect the number of eggs that hens lay in a certain period of time.

To increase productivity in winter, it is necessary to organize poultry walking. Birds need to be released into the yard at least for a short time so that they compensate for the lack of movement.

When do chickens start laying eggs?

Eggs are one of the most popular food products in many countries. Many delicious and inexpensive dishes are prepared from them. Who thinks about where this product comes from and when the bird starts laying eggs? But farmers are interested in this.

The beginning of egg laying indicates that the bird has become sexually mature. If the bird grows and develops normally, it will mature exactly by the deadline established for this breed.

A variety of chickens with a combined degree of productivity, begins laying after the fifth or sixth month.

Representatives belonging to heavy meat breeds, begin to lay eggs after eight months.

Betta chickens begin producing eggs after the 9th month. Small breeds with high productivity begin to produce eggs at 5-6 months. Chickens of small breeds with low productivity will begin to lay eggs after the seventh month. In birds of the hybrid autosex type, eggs appear at six months.

Light egg-laying hens at puberty enter after 5.5 months. If the bird was raised in suitable conditions and is healthy, the indicators are current. When ripening occurs in autumn or winter, temperatures decrease, and daylight hours are shortened, it may not begin to produce eggs in specified period. A hen that has begun to lay eggs before winter, provided that it is kept in a warm pen and proper feeding, lays eggs in winter.

Is a rooster required?

Most ignorant people think that there must be a rooster in the poultry house, because without it the chickens will not be able to lay eggs for natural reasons. However, in reality this is not the case. The process of egg laying in adult, mature chickens is natural, and a rooster is not needed for this. However, such chicks will remain unfertilized. However, they can be eaten without fear. The quality and taste will be normal. In this case, summer residents get rid of the poultry population every autumn, because keeping them in the winter is a troublesome task, and rarely does anyone live in the country all winter. New chickens are being bred in Vienna. If required raise poultry, get a rooster. With it, productivity should be higher than in an incubator.

What is an egg

This is a large female reproductive cell. The cell consists of a main membrane - the yolk. When it is ripe, it descends into the oviduct. As it moves, the yolk becomes covered with white. The process may take up to 20 hours. Later a shell is formed. It protects the yolk and white from damage. After 40 min. After the testicle is released, its place in the genital tract is taken by the next cell and everything repeats.

To receive large quantity products, chickens need to be fed properly. High-quality food will become the foundation for the formation of good fruits.

Chickens are unpretentious and widespread in private households. They are kept mainly for their eggs. As you wait impatiently for the first egg to appear in the nest, you involuntarily think about pressing issues. For example, at what age do pullets begin to lay eggs, how to increase and stabilize their productivity, how many eggs a hen lays per day, how long a hen will continue to lay eggs.

When do chickens start laying eggs?

There are three main areas in poultry farming. Breeds or crosses belonging to one of them have a strictly defined period of maturation. Minor deviations are possible, but not significant.

Natural laying hens mature early. They begin to lay eggs at 4.5–5.5 months. This applies to both pure breed chickens and egg hybrids (crosses), although the latter may well be pleased with eggs as early as 4 months

Chickens for meat and egg production take longer to mature. Universal pullets gradually begin laying eggs at 5.5–6.5 months.

Meat chickens will lay eggs consistently the latest - from 7-8 months. Heavyweights first increase their mass and only then take care of their offspring.

Oddly enough, the waiting period for the first egg has a huge influence on where you got your chickens. After all, in a breeding farm or poultry farm they will tell you exactly what breed or cross will soon settle in the farmstead, what and most importantly, when to expect from them.

At the market, when buying second-hand or with a generous gift in the form of a dozen chickens from a neighbor, there are no guarantees. The chickens will most likely be crossbred, which means that they will not meet the deadlines; it’s good if they start laying eggs at all.

How many eggs can a chicken lay?

When existing completely different directions in raising poultry, it becomes completely logical that the indicator characterizing how many eggs a chicken lays per year depends on which of them it belongs to.

Egg hens are record holders in egg production. Small and very active, they are dedicated workers. Their productivity is in the range of 200 – 240 eggs. For egg hybrids it is higher: 280–320 pcs. In summer, such hens lay eggs often, almost every day. In winter - less often. On average, you get from one egg per day to one every two days, depending on the time of year. Moreover, in a month you can get from 17 to 26 eggs from egg-laying chickens, and 4–6 eggs per week.

Meat and egg chickens lay eggs less than 160–180 days a year. Stable - once every two days. A universal chicken lays quite well per month: 13–15 pieces, and 3–4 pieces per week.

The meat ones lay the worst eggs, but when breeding them, there were other priorities. The productivity of one such chicken is in the range of 120-160 per year. The eggs of heavies are larger than those laid by laying hens. On average, it turns out that 1 egg appears every three days. You can expect 10–13 pieces per month, 2–3 pieces per week.

It must be taken into account that chickens have periods of molting when they take a break from laying eggs. The same happens when the brooding instinct manifests itself. It is lost in laying hens, especially in crosses, while meat and meat-egg hens periodically try to breed offspring.

How to increase egg production

The productivity of chickens is influenced by many factors, not just origin.

First of all - balanced diet with enough nutrients, minerals, vitamins and amino acids. The presence of an animal protein source in the feed has a huge impact. A good, varied, nutritious diet is the key to high immunity of the laying hen, and therefore a guarantee of a large number of eggs.

It is important to observe moderation. More food does not mean better. When there is an excess of it, chickens prefer to “fatten”; they no longer have time for eggs.

To stimulate an increase in the number of eggs, hens must be supported with special additives for laying hens - premixes, or fed with high-quality industrial feed. In addition to food, you need to take care of lighting, temperature and living conditions.

When housing in cages, control of the microclimate in the chicken coop comes to the fore: they are kept in the same conditions all year round, which eliminate stress from changes and changes in regime.

When kept on floors, it is necessary to provide dry and clean bedding. In unsanitary conditions and high humidity observed high risk damage to chickens by various diseases and weakened immunity.

There are chickens that continue to lay eggs in the winter even in an unheated chicken coop, but a drop in temperature below zero can lead to the cessation of egg laying. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the room warm.

The number of eggs is also affected by the level of lighting. Daylight hours for laying hens should be about 12–14 hours. In winter, when the natural duration is reduced, be sure to turn on an additional light source in the chicken coop.

How many years do chickens lay eggs?

The productivity of chickens, which depends on the breed and living conditions, unfortunately, has a time limit.

The peak in intensity and number of eggs occurs at 1–2 years of age. Then the chickens lay eggs worse and worse, annually reducing their performance by 10–20%.

Crosses of egg hens at poultry farms are rejected after a year of merciless exploitation. At home, laying hens are treated more humanely. Often here they live up to 3 years. There is no point in keeping it longer. Feed costs will remain the same, but meat will become unusable (become rubbery).

Even valuable chickens left for breeding rarely live longer than five years. By this time, the number of eggs becomes minimal, and their quality is no longer suitable for incubation.

Therefore, it is believed that the optimal lifespan of a chicken, when it justifies feeding on eggs and can still please with rich broth, is no more than 3 years.

How many years your chickens will live depends only on you. But there are precedents when honored workers are not written off, but are given the opportunity to finish their earthly journey naturally, There is. In gratitude for the delicious and healthy eggs. For many, domestic chickens become almost family members.