Egg Production Calculator
Egg Production Calculator
How many eggs will your hens actually lay? Enter your flock size and how well they lay to see eggs per week, month and year — and how many dozen that really is.
Rates are laying-season averages. Even the best layers pause for moulting and short winter days, so a yearly average usually lands a little below the spring peak — pick the preset that matches your breed honestly.
Your egg harvest
That is roughly 195 dozen a year from 10 hens. Want to know what each egg costs to produce? Pair this with the cost per egg calculator — production is only half the story.
How it works
The formula is simple multiplication: hens × eggs per hen per week = eggs per week. Months multiply the week by 4.33 (the average number of weeks in a month) and years by 52. Dozens are the weekly total divided by 12.
Worked example: 10 hens at the standard 4.5 eggs per week lay 45 eggs a week — about 3.75 dozen, roughly 195 eggs a month and around 2,340 a year. The honest catch is the rate: it assumes hens in lay. First-year hybrids really do average 5–5.5 eggs a week in season; a mixed backyard flock on short winter days may manage half that, which is why the heritage preset exists.
Eggs per week by flock size
Weekly eggs at the three preset laying rates. Use the column that matches your breed — most mixed backyard flocks sit in the middle.
| Hens | Heritage (3.5/wk) | Standard (4.5/wk) | High producer (5.5/wk) | Standard, per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 hens | 14 eggs | 18 eggs (1.5 dozen) | 22 eggs | about 936 eggs |
| 6 hens | 21 eggs | 27 eggs (2.3 dozen) | 33 eggs | about 1,404 eggs |
| 8 hens | 28 eggs | 36 eggs (3 dozen) | 44 eggs | about 1,872 eggs |
| 10 hens | 35 eggs | 45 eggs (3.8 dozen) | 55 eggs | about 2,340 eggs |
| 12 hens | 42 eggs | 54 eggs (4.5 dozen) | 66 eggs | about 2,808 eggs |
| 20 hens | 70 eggs | 90 eggs (7.5 dozen) | 110 eggs | about 4,680 eggs |
Frequently asked questions
How many eggs does a hen lay per week?
A good hybrid layer in her first season lays about 5–6 eggs a week. Most standard backyard breeds average around 4–5, and heritage or dual-purpose breeds around 3–4. All breeds lay less in winter and pause while moulting, so treat these as laying-season averages, not guarantees.
How many eggs will 10 hens lay?
At the standard rate of 4.5 eggs per hen per week, 10 hens lay about 45 eggs a week — roughly 3.75 dozen, about 195 eggs a month and around 2,340 a year before winter slowdowns are counted.
Why is my actual egg count lower than the calculator says?
Usually one of four things: short winter days (laying is driven by daylight), moulting, age — production peaks in the first laying year and declines each year after — or a hidden stress such as mites, bullying or a feed change. A sudden drop in a previously steady flock is worth investigating; a gradual seasonal one is normal.
Do hens lay every day?
Even the best layers do not lay daily year-round. A hen's laying cycle runs a little over 24 hours, so laying time drifts later each day until she skips a day and restarts. Five to six eggs a week from a top layer already reflects those skipped days.
How can I get more eggs from the same hens?
Light is the biggest lever — layers need about 14 hours of light, which is why production dips in winter. Beyond that: a proper layer feed with enough calcium, constant clean water, and low stress. No feed or supplement makes a heritage breed out-lay a hybrid, though; breed sets the ceiling.