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Description. Although daily egg production starts to tail off after one year old, it may continue until 5–7 years old. Older hens gradually produce fewer eggs, and the eggs are usually larger. [ 1] Since the average lifespan of a pet layer hen is 8–15 years, [ 2] henopause has received attention as a potential problem for backyard or urban ...
Chickens are common and widespread domestic animals, with a total population of 26.5 billion as of 2023, and an annual production of more than 50 billion birds. A hen bred for laying can produce over 300 eggs per year. There are numerous cultural references to chickens in folklore, religion, and literature.
Hens crave privacy and darkness when laying eggs, so plan for at least one nesting box for every four or five hens. A box that measures 14"W-by-14"H x 12"D will give even a big gal plenty of room.
Mortalities, due mainly to cannibalism, can be up to 15% in egg-laying flocks housed in aviaries, [11] straw yards, [12] and free-range systems. [13] Because egg-laying strains of chickens can be kept in smaller group sizes in cage systems, cannibalism is reduced, [ 10 ] leading to a lowered trend in mortality as compared to non-cage systems.
Feather pecking. Feather pecking amongst laying hens. In the lower right of the picture, the white hen has lost her tail feathers and the brown hen has been feather pecked on the thigh and wing. Feather pecking is a behavioural problem that occurs most frequently amongst domestic hens reared for egg production, [1][2] although it does occur in ...
Forced molting typically involves the removal of food and/or water from poultry for an extended period of time to reinvigorate egg-laying. Forced molting, sometimes known as induced molting, is the practice by some poultry industries of artificially provoking a flock to molt simultaneously, typically by withdrawing food for 7–14 days and sometimes also withdrawing water for an extended period.
Sex-links[1] are crossbred chickens whose color at hatching is differentiated by sex, thus making chick sexing an easier process. Sex-links come in several varieties. As hybrids of laying or dual-purpose breeds infused with extra vigor via heterosis, sex-links can be extremely good egg-layers which often produce 300 eggs a year or more ...
The Ancona is a good layer of white eggs, of which it lays an average of 220 per year; [6] the eggs weigh 50 g (1.8 oz) or more. [4] Hens have little tendency to broodiness; pullets may begin to lay at 5 months. [citation needed]