Only female chickens, or hens, can lay eggs. Layers weight about 3.5 pounds. As a layer chicken gets older, the quality of the shell on the eggs she produces decreases. Once a layer chicken becomes too old to lay eggs, she is termed a spent hen. These hens are used for low grade meat, such as the meat found in many soups and hot dogs.
Chickens eat grower or layer mash that contains a mixture of corn, wheat and soybeans.
Proteins and medications are added to the feed for better health. Since chickens have no teeth, chicken feed is ground up. Chickens use a special internal organ, called a gizzard, which contains gravel and grit to grind up food for digestion. Layer Chicken Operations Layer chickens are raised inside buildings called layer houses. These houses are very large and can house tens of thousands of chickens.