best egg laying hens

[karlamaria]

I hear EE's lay real well also, in fact a gal I know has several and she says they hardly take a day off, is this true?

 

[JulyBlizzard]

To me it depends on what you want. There are trade offs. Do you want white eggs, brown eggs, colored eggs, dark brown eggs, do you ant birds that are flighty, less likely to be preyed upon, or that are not aggressive or even enjoy your company.

Me personally I prefer heritage breeds. I like big chickens as well. I have read numerous books and posts about different breeds characteristics especially concerning how well they lay.

Also keep in mind where you get the birds from can have an effect on their performance.

For a cool weather layer I recommend first look at their combs. Smaller combs have less chance of having frost bite. Remember a hen's health will effect her production. One bird I can recommend so far is an easter egger. We get very large eggs from ours and besides a recent spell of not laying or hiding here eggs very well she has been laying great this winter. Having looked at her vent it appears she is laying and I just haven't found her eggs lately.

After that I suggest doing what we are doing this spring. We are getting a number of different breeds to see first hand we like them. We will consider how the weather is, when they were raised, how they interact with one another, the environment, their production and us. We will also keep a few breeds no matter what. We plan on breeding our own in the future. We will attempt to create a breed that does good at our home. Living in south central Missouri our weather is a bit strange at times. We have hot and humid summers. Our falls and springs are always a mixed bag but they have been trending towards being far warmer in recent years. Our winters are crazy. January is probably our coldest month and also the month we tend to usually get the most snow. This winter we have been experiencing longer cold snaps and also some record high temperatures mixed among the cold snaps.

Our weather can change quickly because of where we are situated. So I need birds that can take some extreme variance. Last summer during the drought and crazy heat we lost one of our salmon favorelles. She died simply because of the heat. In my experience, which is limited mind you, favorelles are not that great of layers.

I hope this helps. Note: hybrids will nearly always out lay other chickens. But breeding them will prove difficult unless you have parent stock.

 

[JulyBlizzard]

"I heard easter eggers were good layers..."

Yes. They lay extremely well. The also get to a good size. So they present options if any are needed.

 

[JulyBlizzard]

I have had very terrible luck with Wyandottes, and so have many people I've talked to. I just don't like their productivity. I find them comparable to a BO.

I've had to cull all three of my pullets for weakness. Just were not thrifty birds.

But I do agree, none of these breeds lay as well or as big as the RSL. Only thing I could compare them to is a leghorn. Though leghorns aren't nearly as friendly!

Yeah they are also aggressive birds.

 

[JulyBlizzard]

Plymouth Rocks, Black Australorps, Delawares, RIR, Buckeyes, Chantecler, Sussex, Welsummer, etc are all great breeds for long term laying. Getting them from a breeder is better than a hatchery - as hatcheries breed for high egg production quickly which creates some reproductive issues.

A lot of it depends on the hatchery also. Some hatcheries will tell you about their parent stock such as this breed strain is high egg production etc. Most won't. Many hatcheries also get their stock from many of the same breeders. Some breeders also can be less than honest. Of course I am sure you know this but others might not. I have learned now twice and hopefully never again beware of cheap animals and keep your excitement in check. Even some honest people might not know what they are doing. Others will tell you anything to make a sale. I once bought a cheap colored angora buck. I was hoping to get lucky with a good breeding buck. He was good in a number of ways but he wasn't taken care of properly and so he was too aggressive for our taste. I have others now and they are not what you tend to here about bucks. The point is I would ask the breeder if they have any past customers you could talk to about them. Ask to see where the chickens are bred and to see the operation. A good breeder will have no compunction showing off their pride and joy. They will also happily refer you to past customers. They will also offer advice should you need any in the future.

 

[tommysgirl]

I bought all of my first flock of 7 for personality, appearance, and egg production.

Cant say enough about my 2 red stars. They started laying large to jumbo eggs at 19 and 20 weeks and have given an egg a day ever since. Sometimes they are speckled but always rich dark reddish brown

Love my Delawares. I had three now just two. I would say that between the two of the remaining girls I get 10 eggs a week but they have only been laying about 7 weeks and it is winter. I also got them because they are an American breed listed with the rare breed conservancy and I wanted to do a tiny part in preserving them. Mine lay eggs that vary from a pinkish beige to a light brown. Mine haven't laid the XL eggs the breed is known for but am going to give a food with more animal protein in it a try and see if that makes a difference

The Australorps are sweet beautiful birds who also lay consistently well I think I get 12+ a week out of the two of them They have only been laying for 6 weeks. I love their eggs because they are often speckled. Like the Delawares their eggs are sometimes medium sized but I think maturity and a food change will lead them to lay larger eggs.

Winters here aren't as cold as they are in many places we get into the 20s frequently and sometimes into the teens.

I agree with whomever said if you are getting 15-20 get several breeds. It's more fun that way

 

[karlamaria]

I have a RIR amaracauna mix, I get eggs consistantly 6/7 a week. I have a white brahama and she lays 6/7 a week, I have 2 RIR and they lay 6/7 a week, and my asterlorp lays the same! My buff orphington lays when she feels like it, then of course goes broody lol, and so does my copper maran, lays a beautiful dark egg, then takes forever to lay again. She so far has laid 4 eggs this winter, and is now taking a break again, I have a EE hen and rooster that will be 4 months here in a few days, I can not wait to see what she lays and how well. I'm also getting a web cam put into my coop as I plan on adding 5 more birds to my coop, wheaten ameraucana
And I want to watch from work who lays and who does not. I'm going tovstart charting.

 

[Don P]

Been raising hens for 20 years. I agree that where you get the hens makes more difference than just the breed.
I am in NW Washington and I think it is good to buy from local breeders because the hens adapt to the weather you have and so would do better if raised in cold weather than from a hatchery in Arkansas or Arizona.

I also use local grown organic non-GMO grains and seeds for feed and spout, ferment, and fodder some of the grains and seeds.

RIR and Production Reds are great layers, and New Hampshire Reds can be. I like to have several White Leghorns because they usually give you jumbos the 2nd year and loads of eggs and double yokers. But Buffs I have had go broody and don't lay near as much so I don't get them anymore.

The Wyandottes I have gotten have been unfriendly to mean, and don't lay much but I love the color of the Blue Laced Reds though. But I am done with all Wyandottes too.

My current 3 year old Barred Rock never misses a day laying and her eggs have not gotten runny like some older hens but in the past they have not been as strong and they are not friendly.

My Gold Stars or Sex Links seem to run out of eggs after 2 years. Some lay XL- Jumbo and some just L. They vary a lot but I have not been consistent with who I buy from.
Black Stars may be a little fewer eggs
I also like Australorpes for # of eggs but they are smaller eggs

But the California White or rare Gray are the most prolific layers at 300/ yr and last longer and have a better disposition than White Leghorns

So as long as you don't get mean RIRs, (most of mine have been real friendly), its hard to beat them from # of eggs and longevity of production, and their crosses like Sex links for # of eggs.

So for me; White Leghorns, California Whites, RIR, and Red or Gold Stars, for max egg numbers and large size are my choices. And even though they don't lay as much, I always have 1 Ameraucana for the blue egg kids and all people love. Its a treat who gets a blue one in their carton.

Mine all seem to lay about the same all year. I only put lights on in the winter till 9:00 pm and back on at 5:30 am which is our summer daylight time anyway.

Most of my hens sleep outside the coop on branches in the 12'x7' x 6' high dog kennels we use as runs connected to the coops. They have clear tarp covers or corrugated plastic roofing.
Even when freezing and snow on the ground most would rather be outside than in their giant walk in size condo coops. Crazy?? Guess they like the more fresh air. Though coops are vented well especially in warm summer. In the side of the coop I have flip down 18x18 panels that are 1/2 wire screened I can open for increased air flow and close when its cold to keep them warmer.

 

[ChickenKid11]

I have had great luck with Buff Orpingtons, Cochins, and Brahmas!

 

[ChuskaMtns]

My EEs lay consistently throughout the year even at 5f and through molt. They are very reliable layers. My Orps (lavender, black, blue, splash, cuckoo) are very broody so not reliable at all. My Golden Marans lay every day and they have the sweetest temperaments including the big roo.