FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[cmom]

cmom - that is what I have read that Orpingtons just aren't the best layers. Ironically I read and hear that Australorps are great layers and come from the Orpington breed, with the Australians changing them to fit their needs.

My back up breed, if the feed store doesn't have Australorps, will be RIRs - who I know are excellent layers.

They do tend to go broody more often, almost as much as Silkies, at least mine did. Here is a picture on one of my Buff Orpingtons with her chicks in their brooder.

 

[MacLeod22]

Hello All,
I am in Apopka, FL. My girlfriend and I have decided we want to raise a few chickens for eggs and as pets. We would love any advice on breeds and things for the Central Florida area. I also have a thread in the Coop forum, just asking for advice on how I can fix up this coop that came with the house.

Thank you!

 

[N F C]

@MacLeod22

and welcome to the FL thread!

 

[luvmychis]

Orpington's are not the good layers, at least the ones I used to raise, and I had other chickens friends tell me that also, but at the time we just thought they were pretty birds and I did hatch them out for the 4H kids to raise for their 4H projects.

I've read that, cmom. Like I said, pretty is one of the criteria I use when adding to the flock, and boy, do they nail that one. LOL Plus, they are a bigger bird so will go well on the table later on. I think I have a good mix of layers, some guestimated to lay around 275/300 a year down to the Orpingtons at around 150 a year, with several that lay through winter. Hopefully, that will keep us in eggs year round with the 9 hens. It just gripes me to no end to have to buy eggs when I've got a flock in my back yard. :-(

 

[Seatrout00]

Hello All,
I am in Apopka, FL. My girlfriend and I have decided we want to raise a few chickens for eggs and as pets. We would love any advice on breeds and things for the Central Florida area. I also have a thread in the Coop forum, just asking for advice on how I can fix up this coop that came with the house.

Thank you!

Hello and welcome! I too am new to chickens and here in hot and humid Florida. I plan to get two breeds, Barred Rocks and Australorps - both are great layers and handle the intense heat well. Another breed I have heard does well down here as well as lays excellent, large brown eggs are the Rhode Island Reds. Do keep us posted on your progress!

 

[mteacher53]

I live in DeFuniak Springs. I am used to warm Christmas, this is Florida. I wish you and your chickens a Merry one!

 

[cmom]

Quote: My Sex-Links are my best layers besides my Leghorns but the Leghorns are very flighty but they are all good layers year around.

 

[cmom]

Just a reminder...

We Will be holding our monthly swap at the Crystal River Mall next to Office Max across the parking lot from Rural King this Saturday, December 26th (the day after Christmas)

 

[luvmychis]

My Sex-Links are my best layers besides my Leghorns but the Leghorns are very flighty but they are all good layers year around.

My husband said he wanted brown eggs, so I was going for sex linked as well. I thought that's what I was getting with the Red Star/Orphington mix. Only problem is, I think she's taking after the Orpington. I didn't know know about production when I got her. She hatched in March and not an egg yet. Of course, now she's finishing up the molting stage. Hopefully, she'll start laying when she's finished with that. She was supposedly laying when I got her but you couldn't tell it by what's happening here. I'm beginning to think she's one of those "lessons learned" since I got her at the flea market. Only 1 of the 3 I bought is laying at this point and they've been here since October. I'm a beginner, what can I say? I did learn never to buy at the flea market again. So I've told my husband if no eggs come spring, they'll just have to provide for the table another way.

 

[RedBird Special]

Be careful with the australorps. They make quite a but of noise and they haven't been to friendly in my flock. I have the property to deal with that part of the problem. Also mine dont lay like the info says they do. When they first started laying it was a everyday thing. 6 months after they started I may get 4 a week. My girlfriends mom has some too and she may get 2 a week. We have 7 total so out of 7 bird's 6 eggs a week at best isn't a saught after thing. My main producers are my Easter eggers. Just wanted to give a heads up