Thank you so much.

Very educational.

Great way to make a teachable, highly informative lesson out of a terrible loss. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for sharing this. It was perfect for my son’s project on the egg cycle.

I am 60 years old, and this is really fascinating. I just asked google where the eggs come out of chickens.

Thanks for the real pictures. I’m sorry Birta had to pass, but I appreciate her contribution to science.

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. Thank you.

We are backyard chicken enthusiasts and she is doing a presentation on weird eggs and how they happen. We needed a brief age appropriate back presentation on how chickens lay eggs.

Perfect diagram for her project. You are very welcome.

How about a hen is now laying eggs only half the size she was. Is she sick.

It is very common for a hen to lay an extra small egg now and then – some don’t even have yolks in them. These can happen when a small piece of the oviduct comes loose and the body mistakes it for a yolk and encases it in a shell.

If that is ALL she is laying all of a sudden, she may have a problem inside her oviduct causing this.

Your web site is very helpful. Thank you so much.

I am a writter and I train people of backyard chickens and I am preparing a new webinaire and foudn your picture has excellent resolution to use in a backround video. Thanks, Louise From Canada.

And thank you for asking.

Let us know what you think. We LOVE getting feedback.

Due to spam I have had to turn Comment Moderation on to prevent the garbage from piling up. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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To all the overthinkers, new chicken owners, and for the sake of curiosity, we’re going to tackle the age-old question about how a chicken lays its egg. Now I know what you’re thinking “do eggs really come from the chickens’ bum.

But the process is much cleaner than you think. The egg and the waste simply share the same exit hole and are completely kept separate throughout the process.

Here’s how chickens actually lay an egg, why it’s safe, and some precautionary measures you can take just to put your mind at ease when consuming fresh eggs.

Although at first, it can seem off-putting, once you understand the process of a chicken laying an egg it actually puts your mind at ease and squashes any of those unpleasant thoughts. So, the short answer is yes, eggs do technically come from chickens’ bums.

Although a chicken does share the exit hole for both the production of eggs and for its waste, an internal part of the chicken called the cloaca separates the two processes to ensure they never come in contact with each other, so there is no risk for contamination.

Usually, it takes about 24-26 hours for a hen to produce an egg, going through several processes to form the shell, yolk, and other contents of the egg. When the egg is fully formed and the chicken is ready to lay, the cloaca, which is the internal shared space where both the intestines and the oviduct meet, begins to contract on the intestines side.

This contraction completely blocks off the vent (the exit hole of the chicken) from the intestines, and allows enough room for the egg to be pushed out through the oviduct, without ever coming into contact with any waste.

Similarly, when a chicken expels its waste, the cloaca blocks any entrance to the oviduct where the egg formation and laying happens. So, although technically a chicken’s egg comes out of the same hole as its waste, the cloaca does a perfect job at blocking off the intestines so that there is never any contact between the egg and the waste, for contamination reasons.

So although the process isn’t the prettiest, the end result, the egg, is absolutely safe to consume. Nonetheless, there are some precautionary measures you can take when collecting or preparing your eggs, just to minimize all the chances of sickness from salmonella, E.coli, or other harmful bacteria.

Really you shouldn’t wash your eggs in advance as it can actually destroy the outside coating which protects the contents of the egg from harmful bacteria. You can however wash your eggs just before consumption, placing them in boiling water for 5 seconds or simply scrubbing them gently under warm water – but this isn’t always necessary.

One precautionary measure you should always take, however, is to ensure your nesting boxes are clean and clear of waste at all times. This is important to reduce waste that ends up on your eggs, but to also keep your chickens safe too.

So as funny as it sounds, yes, eggs do come from chickens’ bums. But, as we’ve demonstrated, it’s not nearly as gross or off-putting as you think.

So, it’s actually completely safe to eat, even if it’s your chicken’s first egg.

Nonetheless, if you’re not convinced it’s entirely clean you can always take some precautionary steps to wash or clean your egg before you crack it open.

Egg-laying chickens lay up to one egg per day at their peak. But how do chickens lay eggs.

The process takes 24 – 26 hours per egg. Eggs are formed from the inside out, starting with the egg yolk, egg white and egg shape.

In the “pets with benefits” equation, farm fresh eggs are protein-packed gifts that families diving into self-sufficiency have come to love. But how often do chickens lay eggs.

The magic behind each farm fresh egg is a 24-to-26-hour process, with much of the work happening overnight. At their peak, laying hens can lay up to one egg per day.

The shell defends the yolk from harmful bacteria and keeps the chick or yolk safe. Hens spend much of the egg formation process making sure the calcium-rich shell is strong and protective.

The fact that shells are created at night is clear when looking at the egg formation timeline. For example, if a hen started the process at 7 a.m., she would create the eggshell starting around 12 p.m.

To ensure your laying hens achieve a consistent supply of calcium through a blend of oyster shell, vitamin D and manganese, all Purina® premium layer feeds are infused with the Oyster Strong® System. This exclusive system utilizes larger particles of oyster shell to provide a slow and steady release of calcium during the night when hens are forming eggshells.

Here is an approximate timeline for how an egg is formed: Each female chick is born with thousands of immature yolks, known as chicken ova.

Once a yolk has been selected to develop, it spends the next 10 days growing. When it is time for the yolk to be released, it breaks out of its protective membrane and drops into the infundibulum or the beginning of the oviduct.

As the egg enters the hen’s reproductive tract, the egg white begins formation, starting with a clear, protective yolk casing called the vitelline membrane. As the yolk enters the magnum, layers of thick and thin proteins, known as the albumen, create the egg white.

This spinning motion causes the formation of the chalazae or the white, stringy pieces you see in an egg. The chalazae’s role is to keep the egg yolk in the center of the egg instead of sticking to the shell.

Just before the egg enters the shell gland, it spends an hour in the isthmus. While there, the inner and outer shell membranes are added around the albumen and the contents begin to take on the oval shape you expect.

The developing egg spends about 20 hours in the shell gland, where the shell is formed and eggshell color is added during the last 5 hours. The shell formation takes the most amount of time to complete.

A solid shell is the best defense against bacteria that will try to get inside the egg. Eggshell formation requires about 4 grams of calcium per shell.

Hens that lack proper calcium levels typically produce soft or brittle eggshells. Sometimes an improper calcium balance can cause hens to pull calcium from their bones to produce eggshells, weakening their overall skeletal structure.

Which layer feed Oyster Strong® System is right for your flock.

An average hen lays about 260 to 280 eggs in a year. As such, having a couple of hens can promise considerable profit.

So is it painful for chickens to lay eggs.

This article will cover. First, let’s talk about how hens form and lay eggs.

Once it reaches 20 to 24 weeks, the egg formation and laying process will be triggered when light enters the hen’s eye. Whether natural or artificial, the light will activate the hen’s pineal gland and cause it to release an egg from its ovary.

A hen typically takes half an hour to complete this process. The yolk will go through various parts of the hen’s reproductive tract to facilitate egg formation.

When it reaches the hen’s magnum, additional proteins called albumen will be added to the egg white. The developing egg will then continue to travel down the oviduct, spinning until it forms the chalazae or the stringy parts of the egg.

Next comes egg shape formation. This part happens in the isthmus, where more membranes are added to the albumen until it forms an oval.

As its name denotes, the shell gland is where the hen creates the eggshell. The shell protects the yolk from harmful bacteria, which is why it’s the part that takes the longest to complete.

Once the egg is ready, the hen pushes it from its shell gland into the cloaca. The cloaca is the space inside the vent, the posterior opening where hens defecate and lay eggs.

To better visualize this whole process, watch this video: Central to the process of hens laying eggs is the song that they sing when they do.

This is called the “Egg Song.”. There are many possible explanations for why hens cackle when they are laying eggs, and these include:

A common reason why hens sing the Egg Song when they’re inlay is that they want to announce where they are to the rest of the flock. In the wild, hens may wander off to lay eggs, and the noise they make could serve as an unintentional signal to other chickens of their location.

They’re trying to distract predators. Another potential explanation is that the Egg Song acts as a distraction from potential predators.

It’s vital as hens can be vulnerable to predator attacks when laying eggs. According to a study that explored this specific topic across 11 organic or free-range farms, about 4% of hens in these farms died from being attacked by a predator.

Additionally, hens may cackle to communicate their pride at having been able to lay eggs. While it is normal behavior for these animals, it is also a source of distinction that may accord a higher position in the pecking order for hens.

Often, a hen that has just laid an egg will mate with a rooster. Because of the volume and intensity of the Egg Song, other people think that it’s a call for help.

To answer this question, it is first necessary to establish whether chickens feel pain. Like most living organisms, chickens have skin receptors that respond to various sensations – including pain.

In one such study, for instance, it was found that chickens who have suffered damage to their beaks, a highly-sensitive organ that contains many nerve endings, tend to cover the end of their beaks under their wing or stop pecking and preening. Additionally, another study found that hens, in particular, feel empathy.

When it comes to egg laying, the specific part that is involved is called the cloaca. This also has nerve endings, which can suggest that it will trigger sensations when it is used, like when a hen lays eggs.

In fact, two specific factors can make the process distressful for particular hens.

Sometimes, this happens when a hen lays an egg with two yolks. With more than one yolk to develop, the normal egg formation process might also require more albumen or a bigger shell.

Fortunately, the process is believed to get better for these younger hens after the first time.

While it’s normal for hens to experience this, rest assured that these sensations are not thought to be painful or cause any distress. However, if your chicken has past injuries on the hind area, egg laying might cause some discomfort.

Pain receptors called nociceptors can be found throughout their bodies. However, in contrast to other parts of the chicken’s body, there are no pain receptors in its reproductive system.

But let’s not forget that even though the laying process isn’t painful for hens, they still experience discomfort if they’re injured or feeling distressed elsewhere on their bodies. When hens lay eggs, some pressure on their vent is normal as the egg makes its way out of their body through the oviduct.

However, there are times when hens might show signs of strain or make some noise while laying an egg. This might mean that it takes a little more effort than usual for them to pass the egg through their reproductive system, causing temporary discomfort during this time.

While chickens generally do not feel pain when laying eggs, it still pays to ensure they are cared for throughout their egg-laying life. Peak production time for a hen is within the first two years, and it can continue to lay eggs for as long as ten years.

Hens must have water and food every day. The eggs should be picked up at least twice a day.

Finally, their housing or pen must be kept clean and follow a weekly sanitation plan. For optimal health, chickens need a balanced feed that contains minerals, protein, and vitamins.

The amount depends on the hen, but typically, a hen that weighs about 6 pounds can consume about 3 pounds of feed every week. This may slowly decrease in the summer and increase during winter.

As they have jungle birds for ancestors, chickens need a place to roost in their coop. As such, their housing should have elevated areas where they can perch.

Finally, it should be well-lit. Laying hens, in particular, must have access to light – natural or artificial – for at least 17 hours every day.

Pay particular attention to specific components such as feeders and waterers, as these can trap dirt and debris and potentially cause sickness to your hens. Additionally, schedule an annual thorough sanitation procedure.

There are many possible reasons why hens may stop laying eggs. The first is inadequate light.

Also, check if the coop conditions are causing stress to your hens. Common reasons for stress include overcrowding, noise, insufficient warmth or ventilation, and sickness.

They should be fed a steady stream of complete feeds to ensure they are in peak egg-laying form. In conclusion, if you’ve been wondering, “Is it painful for chickens to lay eggs.

This is generally true unless they are very young or laying exceptionally large eggs. However, you can still make the process comfortable by ensuring they receive proper care.

Joseph Hudson has been raising chickens for over 15 years. In 2018, he completed the Agriculture & Natural Resources progr.

Eggs are one of the most versatile foods around. They can be the star of the show (omelette, quiche), the supporting actor to other ingredients (pad thai, spaghetti carbonara) or the hidden hero by making a cake rise or giving a soufflé its fluff.

An egg develops through multiple stages during its time inside a hen. A yolk is encased in layers of egg white and protective membranes, sealed within a shell and coated with a fast-drying protective fluid.

The hen breeds used in commercial egg farming start laying eggs at around 16-18 weeks (four months) old. The first eggs laid by hens at this young age are relatively small at about 45-50 grams.

Commercial laying hens continue to produce first quality eggs until they are about one and a half years old. After this, their eggs become fewer and shell quality decreases which leads to more cracking and breaking.

There are no roosters on commercial egg farms and hens lay only unfertilised eggs. A hen requires around 24-26 hours to produce an egg and after it is laid, the process starts all over again about 30 minutes later.

This process happens in specialist hatcheries, not on egg farms.

Birds are unique among animals because only one ovary (the left) matures to the stage where it releases eggs. When a yolk is ready, it moves out of the ovary and into the oviduct – a tube-like structure that is divided into different sections.

There are many different proteins that make up the egg white. The different protein layers provide protection for the yolk and create a template for the formation of the shell membrane and shell.

The process is called calcification as layers of calcium carbonate are added to form the shell. During the last two hours of shell formation the bulk of the pigment (white or brown) is produced and deposited into the outer layers of the shell.

The egg then rotates just before laying to be laid large end first, having moved through the oviduct small end first. Adult hens need about 14 hours of daylight to lay eggs consistently and different lighting programs are used depending on the farming system, geographic location and season.

Most commercial farms use artificial lighting to some degree to get a consistent level of egg-laying all year round. Eggs are produced using different methods with the three most common being free range, barn-laid, and cage.

Learn more about these different farming systems today or take Australian Eggs’ interactive tour of three commercial egg farms.

We all know that you don’t need a rooster to get an egg, right. Our hens will lay an egg daily with or without any assistance from the male sex.

A rooster is genetically programmed to take the task of populating the world with his offspring, and he is single-minded about it, dedicated even.

Courtship, mating, and raising brood starts in the springtime. The increase in daylight energizes the hormones, and the increase in hormones leads to procreation behaviors.

These hormones, in turn, produce a cascade of other hormones necessary for the development of the yolk and the soon-to-be embryo. You should remember that many of today’s chicken breeds have had the innate ability to become broody bred out of them, so few, if any, will sit on eggs for you.

An interesting thing to note here is that broodiness is ‘infectious.’ If you get one hen to go broody, you will likely have at least one more of the ladies who want to brood.

Some roosters are a little bit romantic – others not so much. To indicate interest in a particular hen, the rooster will perform the courtship dance.

This is his ‘come hither dance, and he will repeat it until she either indicates she likes him or walks away from him. Hens’ are no easy mark, though – they will have evaluated his merits as a suitor.

Is he a good protector. Is he healthy.

And is he sexy. (a red comb and wattles really get the ladies interested).

If not, she will ignore him. He will start ‘tid-bitting’ in earnest once spring arrives.

If it turns out to be nothing of interest to the hen, she will brush him off, so he must be on top form in several arenas of showmanship and ability to win her approval. Occasionally, a hen will dislike the rooster and may never mate with him at all, but this is rather unusual.

If they decide they don’t want the sperm from the mating, they can eject most sperm to avoid fertilization. If you are witnessing a mating for the first time, you can be forgiven for thinking it’s more akin to rape than ‘love,’ but fortunately, the hens don’t see it that way.

Roosters are very zealous in their mating practices. He can mate anywhere from 10-30 times per day depending on the level of co-operation from the ladies.

The optimum time for mating is early morning, when his sperm load can be anywhere between 100 million – 5 billion sperm.

He will mount her from the back, grabbing her head feathers in his beak and treading her with his feet to find a stable spot on which he can balance. What happens next is called the “cloacal kiss”.

The papilla is what passes the sperm. During this “cloacal kiss” the hen must open up her cloaca so his sperm can reach the unborn/unlaid eggs in her oviduct.

The sperm that he passed will fertilize the eggs she had that day and some days after. He will use his claws to get a steady grip on her – this is where most injuries to hens occur.

You can help the hen to ensure that the roosters’ spurs are short and if he is frequently mating with certain hens, fit them out with a hen saddle for protection. See Price on Amazon.

The rooster has two working testes which are located in his abdomen very near to the kidneys. He can constantly manufacture sperm as needed for mating – ever ready.

He has something called a papilla inside his cloaca. The papilla is a tiny ‘bump’ on the cloacal wall.

A hen is born with two ovaries, but the right one usually atrophies and dies, so the left ovary is the one that will carry all the eggs a hen will ever lay and then some.

When it is ready to be dispatched, it is dropped into the infundibulum of the oviduct, where it begins its’ descent. For an in-depth look at chicken reproductive anatomy, see our article.

Rooster sperm is viable for 7-10 days inside the pockets, although fresh is best. However, sperm intent on fertilizing travel on up into the area of the oviduct known as the infundibulum to ensure success.

Once the rooster DNA is delivered to the hen DNA in the germinal disc, they fuse and become a zygote (fertilized seed). It takes about 5 hours for cell division to start, and at this point, it is called a blastoderm or embryo.

This includes laying down albumin, building the shell, and applying the bloom before the eggs lay. If our hen is interested in being a mother, she will now find herself a nesting place that is quiet and dark.

The number in a cache is variable, but you should try to make sure she can cover all the eggs she has 5-8 is a reasonable number. If she has too many, remove some to another hen or incubator.

If you allow the hens to hatch their own, you can do a few things to make the process smooth. Firstly, make sure the rooster can’t hurt her during mating – trim spurs and talons.

Secondly, when she is looking for a dark and secure place to set, try to encourage her into a small separate area where she can be undisturbed by the other birds. Add in a feeder and waterer, so she has her own little ‘apartment,’ and she should be all set.

Once our hen has decided she has enough eggs to sit on, she will start to brood. This means she will sit on those eggs for the next 21 days until they hatch or die.

Once she becomes fully broody, the rooster will not fuss with her. He may be a Mr.

His involvement with the chicks will not start until they are hatched. Our broody will diligently turn, warm, and fuss over her eggs for the next 21 days.

You may see her once a day run out to poop, perhaps have a quick dust bath and then run back to the nest where she will rearrange her eggs before sitting again – total dedication.

No one will mess with a broody hen and chicks – she will defend them most vigorously. They will learn all they need to know from her, and if the rooster is a ‘family guy,’ he, too, will take turns looking out for his offspring.

Well the quickest, but most destructive way is to crack the egg open. A fertilized chicken egg has a white spot on the yoke.

However, once you have cracked the egg open it is open to bacteria and cannot grow into a chick so it must be thrown out. Another way to tell if an egg is fertilized is to use candling.

When you’re in the room put a flashlight underneath it. If the egg is fertilized it should have a clear spot with veins within the egg.

A rooster inseminates a hen with his sperm by jumping on her back, lowering his tail, and touching her cloaca with his. As we mentioned earlier, this is called the “cloacal kiss”.

The papilla is what passes the sperm. During this “cloacal kiss” the hen must open up her cloaca so his sperm can reach the unborn/unlaid eggs.

The frenetic mating activity of spring and early summer will start to moderate when the days get too hot and humid. By this time, the broody Mama.

Egg binding is a serious condition that can mean death for a laying hen. It essentially stops up all the body functions and causes extreme stress and pain for the hen.

With proper care, an egg bound hen may be able to recover. It is also important to know what causes egg binding and how you can prevent it in your backyard flock.

Egg binding, also known as oviduct impaction, occurs when an egg gets stuck in the cloaca and is unable to be laid. An egg bound chicken can quickly go into shock and die from egg binding.

The stuck egg also inhibits the hen from expelling feces, which then leads to constipation and even infection from non-expelled body waste.

However, there are several causes for egg binding even in healthy, young laying hens:. Large Eggs – Eggs that are abnormally large for the hen can lead to egg binding.

Odd Eggs – Eggs that are not the normal oblong, oval shape of a traditional egg can get stuck in the cloaca and cause oviduct impaction. Odd-shaped eggs can be a result of injury, age, genetics, disease, or diet.

Old Hens – As hens get older, their reproductive system naturally slows down and the muscles needed for laying an egg lose tone and get weaker, which can contribute to egg binding if the hen can’t expel the egg.

The extra fat puts pressure on the muscles needed for laying an egg.

Calcium Deficiency – Calcium is needed to stimulate the muscle contractions used during egg laying. A calcium deficiency can lead to egg binding issues.

Disease – Disease, infection, or parasites can cause the oviduct to swell or cause malnutrition which would inhibit proper laying.

Production and hybrid breeds are more prone to being genetically pre-disposed to egg binding.

Let’s take a quick look at a hen’s reproductive system so you can get a better understanding of how egg binding affects the laying process. Within an unhatched egg, a female embryo will develop her left ovary and oviduct.

The ovary consists of a cluster of many undeveloped yolks, called ova. A hen will never run out of ova during her productive life.

Once the female chicken is mature, hormones will trigger the ovary to release one mature ova into the oviduct. During a laying cycle, each ova is released about an hour after the last ova, which causes a hen to lay her egg about an hour later each day.

A released ova enters the first part of the oviduct called the infundibulum. At this point, if there is sperm present from the hen mating with a rooster the ova will be fertilized.

Then it moves into the oviduct isthmus where the ova and albumen are encased in several membranes.

The shell is coated in a thin, protective coating in the vagina right before it passes into the cloaca to be laid. This protective coating is often called the bloom or cuticle of an egg.

The point at which egg binding may occur is right before the egg is laid. When an egg is shaped in the uterus, the pointy end comes first to proceed through the rest of the egg forming process.

This rotation process is where egg binding can occur. Usually if an egg gets stuck in the rotation process, you may not be able to see the egg even if the hen is exhibiting symptoms of being egg bound.

A hen can also become egg bound right before the egg is pushed out. The muscle contractions that are intended to push the egg out of the cloaca may not be strong enough to finish the laying process.

A blockage of more than 24 hours can cause another egg to build up behind the stuck egg.

Egg bound chicken symptoms are fairly easy to recognize, however, you must be careful not to mistake them for other signs of illness or disease. Egg binding is often characterized by a sudden onset of symptoms.

If you are unsure if a hen is egg bound and you can’t visibly see part of the egg, you can gently feel inside the hen’s cloaca for an egg. Do so by lubricating your finger with olive oil and carefully inserting it into the hen’s vent.

Be careful not to stretch or break the delicate skin of the vent when you are feeling for the egg.

Cystic right oviduct can be caused by another illness or disease as well.

The longer a hen is egg bound, the less chance she has to fully recover from the condition. Here is the care an egg-bound hen should receive immediately upon diagnosis:.

Quarantine- Move the hen into a separate space away from the rest of the flock. Ideally the location should be dimly lit, quiet, and warm.

A good standard to go by is keep the quarantine area between 60-65°F. Make sure the area has soft litter for nesting (like large flake wood shavings or straw) and the hen can access food and water if she desires.

Step #2. Hydration- Encourage the hen to drink water to help her stay hydrated.

Avoid adding supplements to the hen’s water that could cause her to stop drinking due to the flavor of the water.

Nutritional Support- While an egg-bound hen may not be too interested in food, make sure she at least has the option to eat. Supply the hen’s normal layer feed in an easy to access spot.

Calcium promotes proper muscle contractions for pushing out the egg. While crushed tums and vitamin supplements can be offered, using calcium concentrate is the most effective way to supplement calcium.

Offering calcium supplements prior to a warm water soak can be beneficial too.

Here are several ways to help an egg-bound chicken:. A non-invasive way to treat an egg-bound hen is to use warm water soaks and gentle massages to help the hen pass the egg on her own.

The warm water and salts will help relax the hen’s muscles. Make sure the water is deep enough so that the hen’s vent is submerged in the water.

Remove the hen from the water and gently dry her off with a soft towel. Keep her in a warm location while she finishes drying.

In conjunction with the warm water soaks, you can also massage the egg externally. An external massage would involve gently massaging the hen’s abdomen to help maneuver the egg into a proper position for laying.

You don’t want the egg to break while it’s still inside the hen and you don’t want to push the egg out and cause pro-lapsed vent or vent tears.

You can use petroleum jelly, olive oil, warm saline solution, poultry wound wash, or soapy water to lubricate around the hen’s vent.

A veterinarian can do an X-ray to confirm that the hen is egg bound. They can also administer calcium supplements in the proper dosage or use hormonal injections to encourage muscle contractions for the egg to be laid.

If the egg still hasn’t been laid, it may be time to consider last-resort efforts to save the hen’s life. A manual or surgical intervention may be necessary to prevent the hen from going into shock or getting blockages that can lead to infection.

It’s that old riddle that’s sparked many arguments through the ages: was it the chicken or the egg that came first. It’s such a tricky question because you need a chicken to lay an egg, but chickens come from eggs, leaving us with an intractable circle of clucky, feathery life that apparently has no clear starting point.

This is a riddle we can unscramble with the tools of science—more specifically, the principles of evolutionary biology. Let’s get cracking.

Technically speaking, an egg is simply the membrane-bound vessel inside which an embryo can grow and develop until it can survive on its own. But let’s focus on the type of bird’s egg we recognise today.

Prior to their arrival, most animals relied on water for reproduction, laying their eggs in ponds and other moist environments so that the eggs didn’t dry out. At some point, a different kind of egg began to evolve, which had three extra membranes inside: the chorion, amnion and allantois.

The extra fluids encased in the amnion, plus the tough outer shell, provide extra protection too. Amniotic eggs were a big deal.

We’re still not sure of exactly when this happened, largely because eggy membranes don’t make very good fossils, leaving scientists with no clear record of when, or how, amniotic eggs developed.

(This leaves us with another eggsellent question: which came first, the amniote or the amniotic egg. But let’s just stick with chickens for now.).

This means two proto-chickens mated, combining their DNA together to form the very first cell of the very first chicken. Somewhere along the line, genetic mutations occurred in that very first cell, and those mutations copied themselves into every other body cell as the chicken embryo grew.

The first true chicken. So who were the likely parents of this first One True Chicken.

It’s thought that the red junglefowl was domesticated by humans in Asia and went on to be spread around the world as the less-aggressive and prolific egg-layers that we know and love today (Gallus gallus domesticus).

Back to our original question: with amniotic eggs showing up roughly 340 million or so years ago, and the first chickens evolving at around 58 thousand years ago at the earliest, it’s a safe bet to say the egg came first. But wait—weren’t there some scientists who claimed that, in fact, the chicken came first.

This claim came from some researchers studying how chicken eggshells form. Eggshell is mostly made from calcium carbonate (CaCO₃).

To form a shell, the calcium needs to be deposited in the form of CaCO₃ crystals, and hens rely on specific proteins that enable this process. One such protein, called ovocleidin-17 (or OC-17 for short), is only found in the ovary of a chicken, leading to the suggestion that the chicken must have come before the chicken egg, since without OC-17, there can be no chicken egg formation.

So, can we lay this age-old conundrum to rest. Or are scientists and philosophers still scrambling to find an answer.

At the end of the day, the question is something of a false dichotomy. Eggs certainly came before chickens, but chicken eggs did not—you can’t have one without the other.

So productive are our American hens that the United States is able to export nearly $600 million worth of eggs each year, making us the world’s second-largest egg exporter, according to OCE.

The top country we get our eggs from turns out to be.. Canada.

They’re sending us theirs -– what, are people just standing there on the northern border, tossing eggs back and forth.

also imports a large number of eggs from the U.K., the Netherlands, Turkey, China, and France. As to why we would both import and export the same commodity, well, different factors like transportation costs, fluctuating supplies, and the commerce of two-way trade likely play a role.

Both large and small farms raise chickens, turkeys, ducks, and other birds for eggs. It is a great way for many to get children involved by giving them a job on your farm.

Often, it is up to individual farm decisions and state regulations regarding whether or not to wash your eggs.

Salmonella, a disease associated with poultry, can also be passed through contaminated shells. Dirty shells contaminate clean cooking areas, kitchen utensils, food, or hands.

Even shells that appear clean can carry germs. Even so, eggs do not need to be washed.

Whether or not to wash your eggs comes down to personal beliefs or state regulations. In some states, you must wash your eggs before you sell them.

Check out your state regulations about farm selling before choosing to wash or not wash your eggs.

Whether your birds are housed in coops, cages, runs, or free-range, it is important to keep their housing clean. If you are using closed facilities, changing bedding/litter can often keep feces and debris, like feathers, off your eggs.

If there are small amounts of debris or feces, wipe eggs with a towel or sandpaper. Do not scrub as you may damage the shell.

Using 90-120°F, wash eggs and remove debris. Avoid letting eggs soak.

If using soap, use unscented soap to wash your eggs. Warm water allows the egg to expand and push bacteria out, but cold water pulls the bacteria in.

Sanitizing your eggs lessens the microbial load on the shell. Using a chlorine-based sanitizer between 50-100ppm protects the cuticle of the egg while sanitizing.

For organic producers, the final rinse must not exceed a chlorine level of 4ppm. After sanitizing, let dry and store promptly in a refrigerator set between 35-40°F.

If you choose not to wash your eggs, gently brush debris and feces from the eggs using a cloth. Then safely store them in a cool place in your house.

Before using or eating, wash with warm water to remove any dirt.

After handling your eggs, make sure to thoroughly wash your hands. Safe cooking techniques prevent bacteria, such as Salmonella, from persisting in your eggs.

CFSPH-Cleaning and Disinfection on the Farm: Farm Fresh Eggs. CSU Extension-Home-Produced Chicken Eggs.

USDA-Guidelines for Organic Certification of Poultry. PennState Extension-What Do I Do With All These Eggs.

NPR-Why the U.S. Chills Its Eggs And Most Of The World Doesn’t.

Refrigerate Eggs When the Much of the World Doesn’t.

November 1, 2023 by Pauline G. Carter.

They are social animals that live in close-knit groups, and they have a pecking order within those groups. Chickens also have some interesting anatomical features, including a crop and a gizzard.

But where do those eggs come from. Some people might say that they come from a chicken’s bum, but that’s not quite accurate.

No, eggs do not come out of chickens’ buttholes. Eggs are laid by chickens through their cloaca, which is an opening located at the base of the tail.

During the egg-laying process, the chicken’s oviduct (a long tube that runs from the ovary to the cloaca) contracts and pushes the egg towards the cloaca. The egg then passes through the cloaca and is laid.

During this time, the chicken will be perched on a roosting platform or in a nesting box. The exact location of where the chicken lays its eggs can vary, but it is typically in the same general area each time.

The oviduct is where the egg is formed and where it picks up the outermost layer of the eggshell, called the bloom. After the egg is laid, it is often covered in dirt or other debris.

Are you grossed out by the idea of eating eggs. You might be surprised to learn that eggs don’t come from chickens’ bums.

Eggs are produced in a chicken’s ovaries. They travel down the oviduct and are laid in the chicken’s cloaca, which is also the exit for the chicken’s digestive system.

So there you have it. Eggs don’t come from chickens’ bums.

But don’t worry, they don’t come into contact with any feces. Pauline G.

She is passionate about pets, from cats and dogs to birds, reptiles, and poultry. Her blog, which is updated regularly, is filled with articles and guides on pet care, nutrition, and training.

She is a true animal advocate and is dedicated to promoting responsible pet ownership. Let’s Go ….

So, you’ve committed the time and money to raise chickens. Yet, you haven’t seen any results or are anxiously awaiting the day you’ll see those juicy fresh eggs.

This is a question that most new backyard chicken owners have. The anticipation of seeing your money’s return, and gaining from it.

You don’t have to rush your hens for eggs. You might have to wait a while before you truly start reaping the rewards of owning chickens, especially if you recently brought them home.

Time is a crucial factor in egg production simply because chickens are not born with the ability to lay eggs. If you’re wondering when do chickens start laying eggs, and how you can encourage them to lay eggs, here is a quick guide filled with tips and tricks that you can follow.

First and foremost, you need to know that chicken health and happiness are the best ways to encourage egg-laying. It’s a pretty simple concept.

As a new owner of chickens or as a veteran, you should know the better your chickens’ quality of life, the faster they start producing eggs. A chicken typically starts laying eggs around 18 weeks.

A hen will not produce eggs until she feels ready. This question is also variable based on how you are getting your chickens.

If you’re going the other route and breeding your chickens, you can educate yourself more about your hen’s breed and see what the standard is for them. A newborn will not be able to produce eggs.

Timing and Season. Egg production in chickens is influenced by many different factors.

While some breeds can produce eggs year-round, others stop for certain times of the year. December and wintertime, in general, is a period when most birds will stop laying eggs.

A hen’s body recognizes this and stops egg production. Molting, the process of shedding old feathers, also reduces egg-laying.

This process usually takes a month or two.

When do chickens start laying eggs based on flock dynamics. As you probably know, chickens follow a pecking order in a flock.

If you interfere with their flock dynamics by adding or removing chickens, this will throw your flock’s cycle out of order. So be careful when you decide to adjust your flock.

You might wonder how eggs aren’t a seasonal item if hens don’t produce eggs during the winter. The reason is because of a trick that farmers use.

Short day length is how a hen’s endocrine system tells the body to stop laying eggs. Using artificial lights “extend’ day length and trick hens into laying through dark months.

When do chickens start laying eggs when you have different breeds in your flock. Consider your chicken breeds very carefully when buying your backyard chickens.

As a general rule of thumb, heavier breeds like Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, and Orpingtons tend to lay a bit later than the smaller breeds like Austrolorps and Leghorns. This is an average scale and it can vary from flock to flock.

As we said earlier in this article, providing your chickens with a healthy lifestyle and setting them up for success is the best way to encourage them to lay eggs. Any stress or illness will delay egg production and put their cycle out of whack.

Using safe, sanitary, and clean methods in your coop will drastically reduce the chance of disease. You should also check that you are buying your chickens from a reputable seller so you can make sure that you’re getting trustworthy products.

When do chickens start laying eggs in a chicken coop. Are you a new owner of backyard chickens and need to take that extra step to care for your chickens.

We’ve been building handcrafted, Amish-built, quality chicken coops for over a decade and have honed our skills and expertise in this field. We want to give your chickens a safe and relaxing environment that they can thrive in so you can get the most out of your flock.

Contact us today or find a dealer near you to get started.

If you notice that hens aren’t laying eggs, especially if they’ve laid eggs before, check that your coop temperature is not too low. If you’ve already factored out broodiness and molting, the temperature might be the problem with your chickens not laying eggs.

Other fixes include adding extra bedding to your coop nesting boxes and venting the top of your coop. Although most chickens will be fine without heating their coops, it can be an issue.

When do chickens start laying eggs with different diets. A big aspect of owning a flock of chickens is making sure they are being fed well.

Make sure the feed you use is well-balanced and is high in nutrition. Most commercial feeds are good enough for your chickens but still pay attention to the protein, vitamins, and minerals they are getting.

So now that you know the answer to the question of when chickens start laying eggs, you are ready to start your journey. Owning chickens can seem daunting at first, but once you’ve set yourself and your chickens up for good habits, it’s a straightforward responsibility.

Your chickens will start laying eggs, so try not to stress yourself out and enjoy the ride. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us at 800-490-3163.

Do you enjoy having backyard chickens but lately have come across some issues in your chicken egg production that you are finding difficult to deal with. Here are some tips and ideas along with a helpful “old-timers” remedy.

Table of Contents. Walking through the soft, sometimes crunchy grass, you head up the path to the chicken barn.

A slow breeze lifts the hair off your neck and tangles it up a bit as you get closer. The grasshoppers are already singing their summer song and a bird and its friend fly out of the tall grass on your left.

The hinges complain just a bit as you open the door all the way. You can hear the faint clucking of the chickens outside in their fence and the few that are in the chicken barn give you a quizzical stare.

You get closer so you can reach in and collect the eggs but then to your surprise….there isn’t any. Your thoughts are:

Although unlikely in this case that the chickens would stop laying all at once, after a few years it does happen. If your chickens are a few years old and you notice egg production waning, it’s probably a good time to get rid of them.

Chickens can lay longer than 4 years but if you planned on butchering the meat won’t be very good, it will be too tough and stringy. It’s unlikely that chickens will suddenly all start laying someplace else at once.

If you’ve created a good nest for them with wood shavings or something soft they will keep coming back to it and laying their eggs there. However, if they don’t have a good nest they will find somewhere else to lay and it’s not a pleasant surprise when you walk through the tall grass and step on a pile of eggs.

It’s hard to stop them when chickens start eating their own eggs but fortunately there are several different things you can do to prevent this from happening, and hopefully to stop them if they’ve already started. First, never ever feed chickens eggshells unless you’ve completely dried and ground them up.

Buy a bag of oyster shells at your farm store. They are only around $12 – $14 for a 50lb bag and that will last a long time.

Just mix a little in with their regular feed each day to get them to lay nice, hard-shelled eggs. This will also prevent them from accidentally cracking if the eggs get dropped too hard when they are laid, and when a chicken finds a cracked egg, they will peck at it and eat it.

You can check this problem by looking at the color of their beaks. If they are purple or have a purple tinge to them you can be sure they need more protein.

To get more protein in their diet you can also feed them clabber. Chickens will slow down laying when it’s cold outside and when the days are shorter.

) they won’t pick up to their normal full summer laying schedule. This is completely natural and will happen every year.

Give the chickens a little rest and treat them well and they will reward you when longer days come again. –Learn how to make clabber here.

Chances are that if you have chickens, one or more of these things will happen to you over the years and it’s good to know how to increase egg production. Eggs and chickens are an excellent source of protein or a little extra income and are fairly easy creatures to keep.

I know that Merissa has told you that she has some chickens. Well, it makes sense that she has chickens, as she grew up with us having and showing chickens for 4-H.

We surpass 40 in number, (a few more than your average number of backyard chickens. ) so I expect dozens of eggs each day.

Our hens vary in age from 20 months to 7 months. Yes, all, except our 2 roosters, should be laying.

He was picking up a bale of straw for me and I asked him to talk to them about my hen’s chicken egg production. I am not alone.

Here is what she told us to try….it is an “old-timers” remedy for chicken egg production.

She also said to put out some “scratch”, which includes corn for them, in addition to the regular table scraps that we feed them. I went out and offered up these two remedies to our birds immediately.

Remember, this little trick won’t work on birds that have had some kind of trauma to stop them from laying (scared by a predator) or chickens that are going through a molt. Until next time, Julie.

Have you ever had to deal with missing chicken eggs. Have you had a decrease in chicken egg production.

This article on Chicken Egg Production was originally published on Little House Living in October 2011. It has been updated as of February 2023.

Turkeys and chickens are two common farm animals raised for their meat as well as their eggs. Both birds lay eggs that are fit for human consumption.

Why is that the case. We’re going to explore the differences between turkey eggs vs chicken eggs and show you why the latter is more common and palatable.

© Fona/Shutterstock.com. The main differences between chicken eggs are size, color, and nutrition.

Turkey eggs are about 1.25 times the size of the large chicken eggs, and they are pointier as well. Another difference is that chicken eggs are only solid colors such as white, brown, and blue.

they do not come in a solid color. Turkey eggs are more nutritious than chicken eggs, but they have too much cholesterol for some people.

We’re going to examine these differences and more in greater detail below. Turkey eggs are larger than even the largest chicken eggs.

Turkey eggs are 2.55 inches in length and 1.7 inches in diameter, so they are a fair amount larger than chicken eggs. Also, turkey eggs tend to be pointier, too.

As one might imagine, turkey eggs weigh more than chicken eggs, too. Turkey eggs are about 3.1 ounces in weight.

Turkey eggs are usually white with brown speckles. ©Kartinkin77/Shutterstock.com.

Chicken eggs can come in a variety of colors, including white, brown, and even blue. Turkey eggs do not have as much diversity in their colors.

Turkey eggs are more nutritious than chicken eggs. Chicken eggs contain 72 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 373 milligrams of cholesterol.

The latter part of the nutrition certainly shows why turkey eggs have not achieved the mainstream appeal that chicken eggs have. That much cholesterol is certainly not worth including in most people’s diets.

©Pineapple studio/Shutterstock.com. Although turkeys have larger and more nutritious eggs in some respects, these birds do not lay nearly as many eggs as chickens.

Chickens can lay a lot more eggs, up to 300 eggs or more per year. Different chicken breeds lay more eggs than others.

For example, the White Leghorn chicken breed can lay between 280 and 350 eggs per year. If someone were relying on eggs for food or to sell for money, chicken eggs would be a much better investment.

The average turkey eggs are about 0.44mm in thickness while chicken eggs are about 0.30mm thick. That means if a person is going to crack them open and eat them, they need to put significantly more force into breaking these eggs.

Turkey eggs seem like a perfectly viable option for human consumption, so why don’t we eat them more often than chicken eggs. Many reasons exist for the preference of chicken eggs over turkey eggs, and we’ve already named a few of them.

Even if you had a flock of turkeys, they require more upkeep to make sure they have the right conditions to lay eggs in the first place. The bottom line is that turkey eggs are a lot more expensive because they’re harder to farm in large numbers.

A single egg has almost three times the amount of cholesterol as a chicken egg. The cost and benefit of that kind of nutrition just does not work out that well.

Cracking a chicken egg is about finesse, but a turkey egg is going to require some force. You’re more likely to splatter a turkey egg and ruin your recipe with excess shell bits.

Their most obvious differences are size, color, and length, but their interiors are different as well. The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/OlgaVolodina.

Here is a list of the best egg-laying chickens. Some are popular breeds but some of the best chicken breeds for eggs will surprise you.

I typically get 5-7 a year, adding the chicks to my flock when they are big enough, usually July or so. Chickens are not (sadly) long-living birds.

I just lost one of my girls, but she was over 8. I know she had a good life.

So which chickens are the best egg layers. Read on.

For me, color and production rates dominate the reasons for picking the chickens that I do. If you’re trying to get a lot of eggs then picking the best egg-laying chickens just makes sense.

The next year I got Sapphire Gems and Speckled Sussex. Again, varied brown eggs.

Those were mostly blue and green. Somewhere I’m getting a pinkish one.

This year, I’m not sure, so let’s take a look at who produces more. As an egg seller, I’ve found that multi-colored eggs sell the best.

It’s probably more of a novelty thing. As I said above, they are great egg producers.

Another great producer at around 250 eggs a year. These are also medium size and brown in color.

These are the white eggs that you typically see in the grocery stores. A good-sized chicken that can lay 200 eggs a year.

They lay a light brown, medium-sized egg. From Cuckoo to Copper, Marans can produce around 200 eggs a year.

Be prepared though, Marans don’t usually start producing until they are around 8-9 months old. Most hens start at 5-6 months.

These medium-sized birds can produce upwards of 220 eggs a year. They vary in color, but the eggs will always be white.

That’s almost one a day. The eggs are usually medium brown.

Another heavy-producing hen, Australorps can also lay 250 eggs a year. The eggs are pretty large and are light to medium brown.

The Easter Eggers are a sub-category of the Americauna breed. They lay very colorful eggs ranging from dark to very light green or blue.

Americaunas were bred from the African Aruacana to be a more “cold-hardy” and productive breed. It must have worked because they are one of my best egg-laying chickens that produce a whopping 280 eggs a year.

I also have 6-7 Sex Links. They are a larger brown hen that lays upwards of 300 eggs a year.

I remember thinking-who is laying these monsters.

They can get up to 10 pounds (that’s a big hen. ) and still produce around 160 eggs a year.

The Wyandotte breed is definitely one of the best egg-laying chickens. They come in many colors, including the popular “lace” colors.

She’s 4 years old, but still produced over 300 medium brown large eggs last year. She’ll be winding down now and not giving me so many eggs, but she’s still a great bird.

It’s said that the colonists brought them here to help them survive the harsh winters. Dominique hens can produce 270 eggs a year that are medium-sized and light brown.

They are very pretty birds with the popular lacing that you’ll see in Wyandottes. If you like a smaller breed, Bantams are the best choice.

On average, peak production for hens only lasts a few years. After that, egg production slows down to maybe one or two a week, and then finally one or two a month.

I don’t, because these are my pets. I raise them from babies and could never eat them, though it is a thing that is frequently done.

Most of the day, they stay in their coop and run, but about an hour before sunset, I let them out to roam the yard. Once older, these best egg-laying chickens eat bugs, turn the compost and eat grass and clovers.

I clean out the coop a few times a month, and that manure either goes to a new raised garden bed or the compost. By the time I’m ready to plant, the manure has broken down enough to be less potent.

Taking egg color and quantity into account, which one of these best egg-laying chickens are your favorite breeds.