For many backyard farmers, the main point of raising chickens is having a constant supply of their eggs. But have you ever wondered why eggs come in various shapes and sizes?
Also, how many eggs should you expect from a hen? Read on, if you want to find an answer to these questions.
Today I’ll tell you everything you wanted to know about chicken eggs, but were afraid to ask. Let’s jump right in!
When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs?
The first question that might come to your mind is when you should expect your chicken to lay eggs.
Young female chickens are called “pullets” until they reach the age of sexual maturity. Most breeds reach that time anywhere between 18 and 21 weeks of age.
Upon reaching this age, they become a hen, and they’re ready to lay eggs. Most hens continue to produce eggs for about one to two years.
As chickens get older, their productivity levels will start to drop. For example, a two-year-old chicken will continue to produce eggs, but not as frequently as expected. At that time, the chicken either becomes your pet or ends up on your dinner table.
How Many Eggs Does a Single Hen Produce?
This question depends on the breed you’re using in your coop. However, most commercial chickens have gone through selective breeding, so you can expect that they produce a lot.
At the peak of their productivity level, you can expect an egg every day. However, scientifically speaking, they take about 26 hours to lay an egg, so the exact time of the day when they lay an egg may vary.
Also, you should know that this doesn’t last for long. Sometimes they’ll produce an egg every two days. Since laying eggs is more about raising chicks, hens instinctively tend to lay more eggs when the days are longer.
That’s why you should expect the maximum level of egg productivity in summer and spring.
Does Adding More Light in the Coop Help in Egg Productivity?
You now know that chickens need more light for egg formation. So, does that mean that adding artificial lights can boost the chicken’s productivity?
As long as your day is longer than 12 hours, you don’t really need any external help to encourage the coop to lay more eggs. However, in winter, adding a heat lamp is a great way to keep your egg supply as high as possible.
I recommend using the Woods 0165 Brooder Lamp as it comes in different wattage for temperature control. Also, it comes with a lamp guard to keep your chickens safe. You only need to add these lights if your chickens slow down their laying process.
So, in short, it does help. However, you have to be sure that you need it and that you’re ready for its costs.
What Are There Brown and White Eggs?
One of the most common debates about chicken eggs is whether the brown or white eggs are better.
For some, the browner the egg, the better it tastes. That’s why some countries, like France, developed a breed that lays chocolate brown eggs known as “the Maran”.
Some think that the difference in color depends on what the chickens eat. However, that’s not true.
The color of the eggs depends mainly on the breed. For more details on this topic, this article will help.
Strange Eggs and The Reasons Behind Them
Among the most common things that people encounter but never ask about is the odd-looking eggs.
In most cases, when temperatures and conditions aren’t favorable, chickens stop laying eggs. Yet, when they don’t, hens produce bizarre eggs. Let’s have a quick overview of each factor of them and what they cause.
Diseases
There are many factors that can render a weird looking egg. For example, it might be due to egg drop syndrome (EDS), which is a viral infection that attacks egg-laying hens. There are some claims that chicken bronchitis also causes misshapen eggs.
Age
The older the hen, the more likely it is to produce eggs that look a bit weird every now and then. For example, you can find some eggs with flat sides or with some bumps.
Additionally, they might look a bit wrinkly. These eggs are usually edible and have nothing to worry about.
On the flip side, newly laying chickens may lay a yolkless egg or noticeably smaller eggs. Young pullets also produce eggs with blood on the shells. Unless you find blood in their droppings too, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Stress
In addition to diseases, stress can also cause odd-shaped eggs. This happens to all kinds of chickens and it can cause some color variations too.
Stress, infection, and hormonal changes are among the causes of lash eggs. Instead of eggs, the hens lay a mass of scary-looking coagulated gunk.
Nutritional Problems
Most shell problems are related to the amount of calcium in the chicken’s diet. Moreover, the eggs can be fully shells with a thin membrane holding it together. However, the latter is more linked to older hens.
These thinner shells indicate that your chickens aren’t getting enough calcium in their diet. In that case, adding a calcium supplement to their diet might solve the problem.
Genetic Problems
Finding blood spots in your egg is one of the most disturbing things ever. However, you should know that it’s harmless and you can simply scoop it out. This doesn’t indicate a fertilized egg.
In fact, This due to the rupturing of some blood capillaries that feed the yolk while forming. Think of it as a glitch in the matrix. It’s usually related to genetics, as you might find some hens that do this more than the others in your coop.
Another hen glitch is when they start forming an egg before they lay the previous one. This results in the rare scene of “Egg-ception”.
The more popular incidence is fertilizing two yolks in the same shell, which produces those eggs with two yolks.
Wrap Up
While we all love eating eggs, few know the basic things about them. Also, learning about eggs gives you a better understanding of your hens and how they relate to their health and comfort.
So there you go, a thorough guide with everything you wanted to know about chicken eggs, but were afraid to ask.
If you have more interesting information about eggs, feel free to share it with us and spread the knowledge!