Eggs. Always an issue on our farm. We either have not enough or too many. It takes planning to have eggs available year round. Typically hens start laying their first eggs around 18 weeks old. In their first year of production they will produce about 250 eggs. In their next year, about 80% of that or 200 eggs. By their third year they are down to maybe 175. Of course during those years there is some mortality. I have found that the really good egg producers (Iza Browns) have the highest mortality in their first year. 

I have also found that as soon as I get my hens moved out to their summer coop with full access to the grass, bugs and outdoors, I get a huge drop in egg production. Better living conditions, a more interesting life and good bye egg production! So is it, as my husband says, they aren't bored so they aren't laying so much? I know we do have some clever ravens that happily poach eggs when they can.

So back to trying to get a steady supply of eggs. I like to buy about 50 hens. Legally one is allowed 99 laying hens without a permit. I find that 50 at a time works well for my coops. They grow and wonder of wonder start producing eggs at 4-5 months old. It usually takes a while for all the hens to get into the laying game. Then I am blessed with 3-4 dozen eggs a day for up to ten months. Then the moult occurs. This is supposed to last about 6 weeks, I find that I have a large reduction in egg production for about 3 months. Then they just never get back up to full production due to any mortality and age reduced production. If I don't buy another batch of laying hens when the first are 1 year old, I suffer with sporatic egg production.

Prince George, BC has a population of 74,000 people, the surrounding Fraser Fort George Regional District another 20,000 people.