In modern breeds, most hens are laying Large, Extra Large or Jumbo eggs by 40 weeks of age. While you cannot alter the basic pattern of how egg size changes as hens age, the feeding and management of your hens can have a measurable impact on egg size.
Do chickens eggs get larger as they get older?
Hens lay eggs for an average of 13 months total, beginning when they're about 18 weeks old. The older they get, the larger their eggs. (Farmers can manipulate egg size by tweaking the hens' feed or environment, but as a rule, egg size correlates with hens' age.)
Why are my chickens eggs so small?
Stress. Predators, weather extremes, not enough water or feed and disease or illness can all cause a hen to temporarily lay smaller than expected eggs. Until the stressor is corrected or eliminated, most hens will continue to lay small eggs or possibly no eggs at all.
Does the age of a chicken affect and egg?
The effect of age on egg production was investigated in the domestic fowl. The rate of egg production was reduced with increasing age and the incidence of thin-shelled and cracked eggs was markedly increased. Older hens which remained in lay produced fewer but larger eggs than the younger birds.
What determines the size of chicken eggs?
Egg size is related to the age of the hen -- as a hen gets older, she lays larger eggs. Eggs are sorted at the grading station based on weight, not circumference, and packaged accordingly into the following sizes: pee wee, small, medium, large, extra large or jumbo.
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