im thinking about getting easter egger,americauna

i have 11 black sexlinks,3 new hampshire reds, 2 rhode islands. i want to get mostly rhode islands w/ a few americauna or easter eggers. i sell my chickens eggs are they prolific enough layers to have. what one would you recommend?

nicolette said:

i have 11 black sexlinks,3 new hampshire reds, 2 rhode islands. i want to get mostly rhode islands w/ a few americauna or easter eggers. i sell my chickens eggs are they prolific enough layers to have. what one would you recommend?

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Yes, but the Americauna's are not very good layers, but you probably already know that.

nicolette said:

i have 11 black sexlinks,3 new hampshire reds, 2 rhode islands. i want to get mostly rhode islands w/ a few americauna or easter eggers. i sell my chickens eggs are they prolific enough layers to have. what one would you recommend?

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I have both EE's and a few Ameraucanas and yes, the EE:s are better layers. Your black sex links might outlay them, but not sure about the others. Previous winters when all my brown egg layers molt and take a vacation, the EE's are off for a much shorter time then pick right back up again. They outlay everyone but my California Greys.

EE may outlay Ameraucanas. Unless you are getting Ams from a breeder, or paying a hatchery premium price for Ams, and you are buying a specific color of Am from a hatchery, what they call Ams at the hatchery are simply EE. False hatchery advertising at work here. That being said, I love EE. And last spring, I hatched 2 Ams from shipped eggs. One of those little gals is a nice layer. The other one... I'm not sure which eggs are hers, so not sure how often she lays. I've found that EE production is on a par with hatchery heritage breeds. The one thing I'd caution you with in your plan is that EE and Ams tend to be more timid, and will most likely end up at the bottom of the pecking order. I've never met a RIR that has not been an aggressive bird, and BSL also tend to be more assertive. If you have plenty of room in your coop and run, and have it set up so there are multiple height levels, as well as plenty of opportunity for the timid birds to get out of sight of their aggressors, and you provide plenty of opportunities for your birds to engage in natural chicken behaviors (forage opportunities, deep natural litter in coop and run) the EE/Ams should do fine. Also, consider fermented feed to increase your production as well as the quality of your eggs. My egg customers are addicted to my chicken eggs.

First, do some research on Ameraucanas......most you'll find are actually EE's...even if it's spelled correctly it's probably an EE.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/128806/differences-ee-ameraucana-araucana-pls-post-pics

A couple of my EE's have been great layers, most the others not so much.

I got my Ams from a very reputable breeder whom I found in the Ameraucana Club on line. They are beautiful birds, docile and great for a back yard set, however if you are selling eggs, they are not very good layers. My EEs are better.

Both of my Ameraucanas- true Ams from a great line (Paul Smith) lay 6 eggs a week. One of them does have fairly small-ish eggs, but she still gives me six of them a week, so I don't complain. I don't have EEs that are old enough to be laying yet, so I can't comment on them, but it seems to me that 6 eggs a week qualifies as being a good layer, correct?

I have two EE a RIR and a Black Australorp and my RIR is not in ANY way aggressive even when she hands out a peck it is super light almost gentle. my BA is top hen but that's just because of her being twice the size of a normal chicken LOL she's a big girl.... than my RIR, my gold EE and then my silver EE is at the bottom of the order. all chickens are different I think there are way to many generalizations about breeds and the way they act... I had a Maran that was a total nightmare.... like demonic possession crazy. after two days I knew she had to go right then and there. Of course not all marans are madder than hatters it was just that one bird...