Facts About Laying Hens

Four egg-laying hens will provide a family with a maximum of two dozen eggs per week. Laying hens produce both white and brown eggs, all of which taste the same and are very fresh. All that is needed to maintain the birds is feed, water and a place to keep them. Always check city codes to make sure hens are allowed to be raised on personal property.

  1. Physical Attributes

    • Young hens start to lay eggs at 20 to 24 weeks of age and are called pullets. It is difficult to purchase pullets which may make it necessary to purchase chicks from local farms or the local feed store in spring and wait until they begin to produce eggs. Hens stay productive four to five years and when healthy they stand erect with head and tail held up. Their feathers are smooth and glossy, depending on the breed. The combs at the top of the head and wattles under the beak are pale red when ready to start laying. Their feet and legs have scales that are waxy and feel cool.

    Productivity

    • One hen will lay an egg every day or every other day. Several things can slow productivity such as dark, overcast days, cold weather and not enough food or water. The older a hen gets the less she produces; all hens produce less in the winter. After the hen reaches five years of age, it is considered unproductive but does become valuable as a flavorful stewing chicken.

    Environment

    • Free-range hens require about 10 square feet minimum to run in and 4 square feet in a protective hen house. The protective area must be adequate to keep predators out as hens sleep soundly and will not wake up when an animal gets in. Insulation or heat in the hen house is a must as is a window for ventilation and light as hens need sunlight to produce. Wood shavings and straw make good bedding and is put into nesting boxes. Individual boxes work well; four to five foul fit in a 12 by 12 inch box with nesting material changed often. Remove eggs daily so that hens will not try to brood, or hatch a clutch of eggs, as they stop once so many eggs are in a nest

    Equipment

    • Hens require a trough made of wood or metal for feed. A water pan that is washed and filled daily and disinfected weekly is also necessary. Chickens perch at night while they sleep, so place 2-by-2 inch perches on walls about 2 feet above the ground. An electric light is helpful during the winter and darker periods. Purchase feed with 16 percent protein stored in plastic, airtight containers to keep moisture and rodents out. Kitchen scraps are fine to feed hens as long as they do not have strong flavors that can transfer to the eggs. Sometimes hens need oyster shells or grit in order to keep the shells of their eggs strong. Hens need an area in which to take dust baths to prevent parasites from collecting on feathers and skin.