Egg Production Estimator
Estimate eggs per week and dozens per month for your hens by breed-tier laying rate and laying-year age.
Molt in late fall and short winter daylight will pause laying for weeks even for high-production hens, unless you add supplemental light. Treat this as an average, not a guarantee every week matches it.
How it works
Pick your hen count, the breed tier that best matches your flock, and how many laying years your hens are into, and the calculator scales a typical annual egg count down to a weekly and monthly figure. High-production breeds like Leghorns and sex-links average around 280 eggs a year, solid layers like Rhode Island Reds and Australorps average around 250, dual-purpose breeds like Plymouth Rocks and Wyandottes average around 200, and ornamental or broody breeds like Silkies and Cochins average around 150. Laying naturally slows with age, so the calculator applies a factor: full rate in the first laying year, 80% in the second, and 60% in the third year and beyond.
Worked example: 4 first-year solid layers (Rhode Island Reds) work out to about 19.2 eggs a week, close to 7 dozen a month. Take the same 4 hens into their third laying year and production drops to roughly 60% of that. Compare that to 6 high-production hens in their second year, which still comes out to about 25.8 eggs a week, since a higher base rate makes up for the age discount.
FAQ
Why do my hens lay fewer eggs than the breed average?
Breed averages assume decent feed, enough daylight, and low stress. A flock on a lower protein feed, going through molt, dealing with a predator scare, or short on winter daylight will lay below the average for a while. It usually recovers once the underlying cause is fixed.
Does adding a light in the coop really help through winter?
Yes. Hens need roughly 14 to 16 hours of light a day to keep laying at a steady rate, and natural winter daylight falls well short of that in most of the US and Canada. A timer-run light that extends the morning or evening can keep production closer to the numbers here instead of the usual winter dip.
How long do hens keep laying well?
Most hens lay strongest in year one, noticeably less in year two, and continue declining after that, though they rarely stop entirely. Some keepers retire hens after year two or three for that reason, while others keep them on as part of the flock regardless of output.
Do all the eggs from a flock this size fit standard cartons?
Generally yes. A dozen figure just adds up the week's eggs and converts to the more familiar unit; it doesn't assume any particular size grading, so odd-sized or soft-shelled eggs still count toward the total even if you'd set them aside from a carton you're selling or gifting.
For more on what affects laying, see when do chickens start laying eggs, how to get more eggs from your hens, and keeping hens laying through winter.