The Chicken Before the Egg?

I’ve been working in a garden my entire life, from the time I was a tot helping my dad plant tomatoes until I graduated college and started a plot of my own.  Within the past 5 years my small plot has tripled in size and has slowly turned in to more of a homesteading operation.  This spring, I took the leap into livestock; I bought 6 barred rock chickens for egg production.  It’s really been a great learning experience, and I have a new-found respect for poultry farmers.

There are more than 60 breeds of chickens that farmers use for commercial poultry production.  Some breeds are best suited for either egg or meat production; others can be raised for both.  Egg layers are generally smaller in size and primarily lay either white or brown eggs.  You can tell what color egg a chicken will lay by looking at its earlobes: chickens with white earlobes will lay white eggs while chickens with any other color earlobes will lay brown eggs.

The most common commercial egg layers are the White Leghorn hybrids and Production Reds hybrids.  These commercial layers can produce between 200 and 260 eggs per year.   Purebred breeds can lay between 100 and 180 eggs per year.  Last year, across the state, there were 24.6 million chickens laying approximately 7.14 billion eggs.  

For small scale operations, only one nest is needed for every 4 birds since the chickens do not lay eggs at the same time.  Nest boxes are generally 12” x 12” x 12”.  Eggs need to be gathered from these boxes twice per day by hand.  Large scale operations have automated belts and rollers that collect, wash, grade, store and package the eggs.  

Most hens will begin laying when they reach 20 weeks of age.  Once they reach 80 weeks of age, farmers “molt” or rest the flock from egg laying.  This resting period is achieved by altering the amount of light the chickens receive and altering their diet.  Once they rest for 10 to 12 weeks, regular lighting, feed and egg production are resumed.  After 3 or 4 years and several laying cycles, egg production will decrease.  At this point, most farmers cull the flock and order more birds.

Sources: Ag Alternatives, Penn State Poultry

Support Your Farmer:

LEHIGH VALLEY:  HOLBEN VALLEY FARM has been family-owned and operated for over 50 years.  Currently there are 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th generations committed to providing delicious and nutritious pastured beef, as well as free-range chickens and eggs.  Check out their operation on the 2013 Open Gate Farm Tour!

BERKS:  Gooselane Egg Farm specializes in brown eggs from their free-range, all natural chickens.  The eggs are available for purchase from their self-service store along with freshly made baked goods, homemade rootbeer and produce when in season.  Over the summer, they also offer pasture raised, all natural chickens and turkey. 

BUCKS: The Little Farm Store at Meadow Brook Farms, located in Riegelsville, raises all natural grass-fed black Angus beef, organic chicken and brown eggs.   They also sell fresh bread, milk and dairy products, ice cream, baked goods, coffee and vegetables.