While she may lay fewer eggs, they are often larger than the ones she laid as a pullet.
The heart begins to beat, and blood vessels spider-web across the yolk.
A healthy hen is at her most productive during her first two years, often laying 250–300 eggs per year depending on the breed.
Once a year, usually in autumn, chickens "molt." They stop laying eggs and shed their old feathers to grow a fresh, warm coat for winter. Act V: The Retirement Years (Year 3+) As a hen ages, her egg production naturally slows down.
This is when the "pecking order" is established. They play-fight and socialize to determine who’s the boss of the coop.
Feathers (down) begin to form, and the beak hardens.