Golden Comets

[Pele]

I own and highly recommend GCs

They are generally amiable and calm birds, lay like it's the only thing keeping the world turning, and are winter hardy. We also have an EE that we got just for kicks, and she lays inconsistantly, as well as giving us smaller eggs than my GC girls.

The only drawback, IMO to GCs are the fact that they are so hardcore about laying that they generally wring themselves out earlier than other breeds (hens are born with a finite number of ova. Once they're gone, they're gone). Many people who own them just keep them for 2 years, then replace them with new pullets.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Good over-all information. However, perhaps more information will clarify. The pullet is actually hatched with 13,000-14,000 ova, ie, egg in potential. More than she will ever lay as eggs. It is true that super high productive sex links are bred to lay early and lay often. This is the result of genetic studies, selective breeding and commercial laying operations market that want maximum egg production in the first few years.

http://www.ca.uky.edu/poultryprofit..._Physiology/Chapter3_female_reproductive.html

Most hens slow down in the out years. This isn't unique to the Sex Links like the Golden Comet or Gold Star, etc. Still, the point is very well taken. The Comet is simply not going to maintain the high rate of lay in the out years. Most are simply not bred to do so. Since many strains and many breeds from the hatcheries are essentially production strains, this isn't breaking news. Does all this hyper-productivity take a toll? It seems pretty obvious to most of us who've kept these strains that it does indeed.

 

[vjbakke]

We have 4, lay large brown eggs just about everyday. Ours are 10 months old. Our girls are very friendly. I would recommend them.

 

[Pele]

Fred's Hens :

Quote:
Good over-all information. However, perhaps more information will clarify. The pullet is actually hatched with 13,000-14,000 ova, ie, egg in potential. More than she will ever lay as eggs. It is true that super high productive sex links are bred to lay early and lay often. This is the result of genetic studies, selective breeding and commercial laying operations market that want maximum egg production in the first few years.

http://www.ca.uky.edu/poultryprofit..._Physiology/Chapter3_female_reproductive.html

Most hens slow down in the out years. This isn't unique to the Sex Links like the Golden Comet or Gold Star, etc. Still, the point is very well taken. The Comet is simply not going to maintain the high rate of lay in the out years. Most are simply not bred to do so. Since many strains and many breeds from the hatcheries are essentially production strains, this isn't breaking news. Does all this hyper-productivity take a toll? It seems pretty obvious to most of us who've kept these strains that it does indeed.

Thanks for the information, I always love to delve into the scientific nitty gritty, but I often self-edit in order to not be in danger of taking the thread off topic.

. I wonder if I should start a thread discussing this phenomenon. I believe that part of the reason they do not lay all of their ova is because one of the ovaries becomes the production one, and the other usually does not produce, halving their laying potential. Hrm.... I sense a future breeding project....​

 

[unix_micki]

Funny, I just started researching them and decided to add 11 to my flock of RIR

All of my other birds have retired.

Cannot wait to get them

 

[whitehousechix]

I think the Golden comets are my favorite chicken.
Quote:

 

[Ole rooster]

So from what Fred's saying, if you want a hen that will lay like a machine the GC is a good choice. She will "burn out" so to speak and cease to be productive. Whereas a Heritage breed hen will lay procuctive yet not at the break neck speed and lay longer into her life.

That means there is a choice. I guess once the GC fade out on the egg production they make good chicken salad.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The trouble with using "heritage" breed is that the definitions are murky. If one orders from a hatchery, the birds may appear to have heritage names, but frankly, they are often far from type and are, in most cases, the result of profit based selective breeding for high production as well. Many of these birds won't lay a life time either, or at least not very well after the second or third year either.

The reason commercial farms use the high out-put hybrids is economics. If it were truly more economical for a commercial farm to use a more traditional bird over 4 years, they'd be doing it. Many, if not most, small holders share some of these very economic concerns, even if it sometimes hard to admit it. The Red/Golden/Brown sex-links, along with the various Leghorns are the egg producers, they mature quickly, lay profusely and yes, often slack off after 2 years. But, the flock keeper who desires productivity along with cost efficiency, typically replaces those layers at the 2 or 2 1/2 year mark anyhow.

These are not the black and white decisions they might appear to be at first blush.

 

[RedBankPiper]

I have a small (5) mixed backyard flock, and my Golden Comet laid earliest and has been very consistent. Also she is the friendliest of the bunch.

 

[TwoWho]

Not meaning to hijack this post, but are the GC's also quiet? Our backyard is closely connected to 5 other backyards and I really want to be considerate. Thanks! (a newbie!)