how long does it take for an egg to develop in a chicken
This typically occurs when the chickens are between 16 and 24 weeks of age, depending on breed, but even some individuals within a breed will develop more quickly or slowly than others. The ballpark age for when a young chicken is considered mature is 18 weeks. The Egg Laying Process The life cycle of a chicken starts when an egg is formed within the body of a hen. The yolk forms inside the ovary, travels through the oviduct by way of the hen's vagina. The entire development and egg laying process takes 25 to 26 hours per egg. Once an egg has been laid, it will take approximately 21 days after incubation begins to hatch into a fully developed chick. Healthy baby chicks are covered in soft downy feathers; their eyes are open when they hatch.