Estimate weekly, monthly, and annual egg output for your flock by breed, flock age, and season. Includes molt and winter slowdown adjustments.
| Month | Eggs / Hen | Total Eggs | Production Rate |
|---|
A high-production laying breed like the White Leghorn or Sex-Link can lay 280–320 eggs per year at peak. Heritage breeds like Buff Orpingtons lay 175–200 eggs per year. Most backyard flocks average 200–250 eggs per hen per year.
Hens require 14–16 hours of light per day to maintain consistent egg production. As daylight hours shorten in fall and winter, production drops significantly. Adding a simple LED light on a timer in the coop maintains production year-round.
Most hens lay well for 2–3 years, then production declines sharply. By age 4–5, a hen may lay only 30–40% of her peak output. Egg color and shell quality often decline with age as well.