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.
Lets face it, we all want eggs from our chickens but there are a number of factors that affect the number of eggs a chicken lays. The breed characteristics are a starting point, some, such as show strains of Orpingtons lay as few as 80 eggs per year and others like for example a utility strain of Light Sussex closer to 220.
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!!