Best Quiet Egglayers for Texas Heat???

[hellotexas]

I started my adventure in the world of backyard chickens late this summer with four, one-year old Buff Orpingtons. After spending their first four months in a chicken tractor, I have finally finished a 10X10 kennel coop for them ~ absolutely palatial! Although very sweet and such fun to watch, the BO's have been quite disappointing in the laying department ~ I'm averaging one egg per day from FOUR GIRLS! So... I've spent the last few weeks researching breeds and stalking around BYC...

I live in a deed restricted neighborhood (read: no chickens allowed!) in hot/humid Texas so I am looking for not only good layers, but also quiet, calm birds. So far, I have narrowed my list to the following:
*Black Austrolorp
*Red Sex Link
*Gold Sex Link
*Naked Neck Turken
*Rhode Island Red
*Delaware

Can any of you who live in a similar climate off any advice or suggestions, please? Thanks so much for your help! : )

 

[Mahonri]

I can't say that any of those are "quiet".

But of those I would say Delawares are the least noisy.

If you want an egg every day, get black sex links. They are egg laying machines.

My RIR and Red sex links have been VERY noisy.

 

[hellotexas]

I can't say that any of those are "quiet".

But of those I would say Delawares are the least noisy.

If you want an egg every day, get black sex links. They are egg laying machines.

My RIR and Red sex links have been VERY noisy.

Thanks, Mahonri. I have been concerned about RIR's ~ many sources claim they are docile, while too many posts talk about aggressive RIR's. The Black Austrolorp came as a direct recommendation from someone with chickens in Houston; they said she is their calmest and best egg layer in the heat of summer.

As for sex links ~ red, black, gold, brown~ they are all supposed to be great layers, but I can't find any info regarding which has the best temperament. I guess people are usually either looking for productivity OR personality... I need both! : )

 

[Vamvakas]

This may be random but is Texas summers humid or dry?

 

[Mahonri]

I've owned two black sex links. BOTH were sweethearts, not at all noisy and BOTH were egg laying machines!

 

[gordonburrito]

Two words: Black Australorps

 

[OldGuy43]

We've got Red Sex Links and they've done really well for us. Not particularly noisy.

 

[Bullitt]

This may be random but is Texas summers humid or dry?

Texas is a big state. It is humid along the Gulf Coast and in East Texas, and it is dry in West Texas, and maybe somewhere in between in other parts of Texas.

Hellotexas said they are in hot and humid Texas. So they are not in West Texas. Maybe we will get more specifics soon.

If you are in a neighborhood that does not allow chickens, are you going to hide the coop in the backyard? I think there is a good chance the neighbors will discover you have chickens no matter which breed of hens you have.

My suggestion, move to the freedom of the country.

 

[kari_dawn]

My buffs have always been fantastic layers...some of the best in my flock...however, I think just like in breeds of dogs, the line that your chickens come from has a lot to do with egg production. Easter Eggers are another breed that have been fantastic layers for me...for the most part. I have had two that weren't great layers, and one of those laid small brown eggs with thin shells. She was also a huge fan of the egg song, and sang it loud and proud forever before and after she laid while my other mediocre layer layed enormous blue eggs with cast iron shells quite as a mouse. She would slip into the nest box, lay her egg, and slip back out to free range without so much as a peep. My other EEs that were fantastic layers were somewhere inbetween...like I said, I think it has alot to do with the lineage of your bird of any particular breed.

That being said, around two years of age, chickens will slow way down on egg production...I have read that if they are provided suplemental light durring the winter, they may burn out quicker.

You say you got your girls at 1 year of age...are you sure? Many a newbie has had the wool pulled over their eyes by unscrupulous sellers...is it possible that your girls were actually TWO years of age, and not 1? Also,considering the time of year, you are getting about what I am getting from my brand new layers...there just isn't enough hours of daylight for rockstar egg production right now.

As for your list, I would choose delewares or australorps...I do not have a lot of experience with the other breeds you listed...though I do have a red sexlink who is very young, but the sweetest, most quite darling little thing...again, since they can be a blending of different breeds, their personalities, egg laying abilities, and volume will be quite variable...Bullit has the right idea! I don't live in a neighborhood with a home owners association or anything like that, but I am dying to get out to the country where I can do what I want when I want, on my own property!

 

[bluestar.ranch]

me to buffs are great