Egg laying
Age at first egg, peak, seasons, regularity: Elsanor's answers, backed by the laying rates measured on our farm, breed by breed.
10 questions
They are measured: every pen is recorded daily (eggs laid, hen counts, incubation), and the rates published on the Statistics page are calculated from these records, season by season.
Yes, all hens lay eggs — otherwise, how would you breed them! The number of eggs varies with the breed and the keeping conditions (weather, feed…). We publish laying statistics based on our real data.
It depends on the breed and living conditions: the range goes from 70-80 to nearly 200 eggs per year. So-called "industrial" hens can exceed 300 eggs under specific conditions.
Our best layers are the Araucana, the crested Appenzeller, the Sussex, the Silkie and the Swedish hen. Note that these figures apply to our strains: our comparator lets you compare them.
Depending on the breed and rearing conditions, hens start laying between 4 and 6 months. Larger breeds generally take longer to come into lay.
In the first year, a purebred hen lays less than a hybrid brown hen. But over several years the yield can become comparable, as the brown hen's laying drops more sharply over time.
It comes down to three criteria to combine: laying (number and colour of eggs), temperament (calm, sociable, child-friendly) and the space you have (breed size and flight height). Start with your priority, then refine with the other two. Our comparator cross-references these criteria from our real data to help you choose.
Laying is triggered by light: with short, cold days, most hens slow down or stop laying. This is natural and lets them rest; laying picks up again as the days lengthen in spring.
Large breeds grow more slowly: they must finish their body development before coming into lay. They therefore often start laying later than light breeds, sometimes around 6 to 8 months.
Several possible causes: moulting (feather renewal), shortening days, stress, illness, a deficiency, broodiness or simply age. If laying stops suddenly and is accompanied by other signs, check the hen's health.
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