What is a good hen-day production percentage?

Commercial layer flocks peak at 90–96% hen-day production around 25–35 weeks of age, then decline gradually. A flock in lay averaging below ~80% at peak age usually has a feed, health, lighting or water problem.

What is the difference between hen-day and hen-housed production?

Hen-day production divides eggs by the hens actually alive each day, so it measures current flock performance. Hen-housed production divides by the number of hens originally housed, so it also captures the cost of mortality over the flock's life.

Hen-Day Production % Calculator

Hen-day production % = eggs collected ÷ (hens housed × days) × 100. It answers: of the eggs this flock could have laid, how many did it lay? Commercial layer flocks peak at 90–96% around 25–35 weeks of age.

Eggs collectedHens housed (average for the period)Days in period

Enter eggs, hens and days to calculate

How the calculation works

Multiply the average number of hens alive by the days in the period to get bird-days, then divide the eggs collected by bird-days. For a single day it simplifies to eggs ÷ hens × 100. Use the average hen count if mortality changed the flock size during the period.

Reading the number

Laying percentage follows a curve: it rises steeply from ~5% at 18–19 weeks, peaks at 90–96% around 25–35 weeks, then declines roughly 0.5–1% per week. Compare your flock against its breed standard for the same age, not against the peak — a 78% flock at 70 weeks can be perfectly on target.

Methodology

Standard hen-day formula as used in CloudPoultry's daily flock register and layer performance reports. Ranges cited are for commercial white and brown layer strains; consult your breed guide for exact age-wise standards.

Also try the Feed per Egg calculator and the Broiler FCR calculator, or see how CloudPoultry tracks laying percentage per shed automatically.