Calculate and judge your laying rate
The laying rate is the most important figure in a laying-hen barn. Here is how to calculate it and what it tells you.
What is the laying rate?
The laying rate shows how many eggs a flock lays in one day relative to the number of hens. It is given in percent.
The formula
Laying rate in % = eggs of the day ÷ hens in the house × 100
Example: 4,200 hens lay 3,850 eggs in one day. That gives 3,850 ÷ 4,200 × 100 = 91.7 %.
Common mistakes
- Wrong number of hens: if losses are not updated, the rate looks too low.
- Eggs not fully counted: eggs outside the nests or in the outdoor run are missing from the count.
- Looking only at the daily value: single days fluctuate. The weekly trend is more meaningful.
- Different counting times: counting in the morning one day and in the evening the next compares apples with oranges.
How to judge the value
The trend matters more than a single value. After laying starts, the rate climbs to a peak and slowly declines with age. Compare flocks of the same age. Performance targets for your breed are in the breeder’s management guide.
What to check when it drops
- Feed and water supply
- House climate and temperature
- Lighting programme
- Disturbances and stress in the flock
- Health: if in doubt, talk to your vet
How Chicks App helps
You enter the eggs per group, the app calculates the laying rate and shows the trend per house. Losses and stock changes are included so the number of hens is right.
Give it a try
30 days free, no payment details, no subscription.