You are the owner of this article. Illinois soil among world's most fertile. ILLINOIS: Path of glaciers through state credited for rich farmland. BLOOMINGTON | Along with Chicago's soaring skyline and Lincoln's prairie roots, Illinois is best known for routinely producing one of the nation's top yields of corn and soybeans.
Hybrids (a combination of breeds) are bred for either meat or egg production and the latter such as âBovan Goldlineâ (the type of hens used in most battery systems) can lay up to 320 eggs per year.
Chickens usually don't simply stop laying eggs when they get to a certain age, but they will lay fewer as they get older. That said, most laying breeds will lay more or less productively in backyard terms for five or seven years. We know of one ancient buff orpington cross who still lays an egg occasionally at 17 years old!!