Since laying eggs is more about raising chicks, hens instinctively tend to lay more eggs when the days are longer. Sometimes they’ll produce an egg every two days. 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.Īlso, you should know that this doesn’t last for long. Selective breeding, so you can expect that they produce a lot.Īt the peak of their productivity level, you can expect an egg every day. However, most commercial chickens have gone through This question depends on the breed you’re At that time, the chicken either becomes your pet or ends up on your dinner table. For example, a two-year-old chicken will continue to produce eggs, but not as frequently as expected. Most hens continue to produce eggs for about one to two years.Īs chickens get older, their productivity levels will start to drop. Upon reaching this age, they become a hen, and they’re ready to lay eggs.
Most breeds reach that time anywhere between 18 and 21 weeks of age. Young female chickens are called “pullets” until they reach the age of sexual maturity. Mind is when you should expect your chicken to lay eggs. The first question that might come to your Let’s jump right in! When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs? Know about chicken eggs, but were afraid to ask. Today I’ll tell you everything you wanted to But have you ever wondered why eggs come in various shapes and sizes?Īlso, how many eggs should you expect from a hen? Read on, if you want to find an answer to these questions.
The processing oil may create a shiny or opaque appearance.For many backyard farmers, the main point of raising chickens is having a constant supply of their eggs. Grade A eggs can also show traces of processing oil (used to preserve freshness). Grade A eggs may show small specks, stains, or cage marks that do not detract from the general clean appearance of the egg. Grade A eggs must be clean (see Figure 1). USDA Standards for grading market eggs (click on image to enlarge). Since contestants are not able to handle the eggs, the eggs are placed sideways on egg cartons and contestants must assume the unseen side is free of any stains, adhering material, cracks, or defects. Eggs graded for exterior quality cannot be handled during the contest. The factors that affect exterior quality are discussed below. For 4-H poultry judging contests, therefore, eggs will be assigned the grades of A, B, Dirty, or Loss. Grades AA and A have identical standards for exterior quality. Table 1 summarizes the descriptive terminology used in the USDA Egg Grading Manual to help determine an egg’s grade by exterior quality. Eggs are usually sorted for color and sold as either “whites” or “browns.” For the 4-H poultry judging contest exterior egg classes, all chicken eggshell colors can be used. In a contest, excessively speckled brown eggs should not be used. Shell color does not affect the quality of the egg and is not a factor in the U.S. This is especially important when judges have gained experience in evaluating eggs with various degrees of abnormalities. Contestants should not be too harsh in assigning a grade to eggs that may have minor defects.
In other words, we want the consumer to have clean, unbroken eggs with practically normal shape and texture. Evaluating eggs for exterior quality reduces the number of eggs with defects that detract from the eggs’ appearance or that would have a low probability of surviving the rigors of handling in normal market channels.