Opinions on best egg layers

[threescompany]

the heat killed them? What is your setup?

It gets to 100+ degrees here and as long as the RIRs have some shade and water, they're fine. RIR really aren't an aggressive breed.

I agree about the RIR's not being aggressive. My RIR is a sweet girl! She comes running to me when she can't find her flock mates!

 

[Areolyn]

I noticed a lot of people have been associating Leghorns with being white--not all are white and there's actually a great amount of color variety all the while laying amazing great. Still personality, but if you're afraid of them being picked off because color, you could look into the brown or golden varieties, and even red Leghorns.

 

[Michael OShay]

I noticed a lot of people have been associating Leghorns with being white--not all are white and there's actually a great amount of color variety all the while laying amazing great. Still personality, but if you're afraid of them being picked off because color, you could look into the brown or golden varieties, and even red Leghorns.

The reason there are so many references to White Leghorns is because the very best laying strains of Leghorns (those used by commercial laying houses) are all White Leghorns. Other varieties of Leghorns, while excellent layers don't match these superstrains of white egg laying machines.

 

[Areolyn]

The reason there are so many references to White Leghorns is because the very best laying strains of Leghorns (those used by commercial laying houses) are all White Leghorns. Other varieties of Leghorns, while excellent layers don't match these superstrains of white egg laying machines.

Of course the hatchery/factory stock are all white. But associating the whole breed as just being only white is a little unreasonable. True whites and browns are much more prettier to me anyway. Just personal preference lol.

 

[Michael OShay]

Of course the hatchery/factory stock are all white. But associating the whole breed as just being only white is a little unreasonable. True whites and browns are much more prettier to me anyway. Just personal preference lol.

I've didn't see any threads on here that I would have interpreted as associating the whole breed as being only white and I agree with you personally that the browns are prettier, but based on the title of the thread "best egg layers" I think members are focusing the White Leghorns because the best laying strains are white. Laying houses are not buying these white Leghorn strains because they have white feathers, but because they are the most productive layers in terms of sheer numbers in the chicken world.

 

[Areolyn]

I've didn't see any threads on here that I would have interpreted as associating the whole breed as being only white and I agree with you personally that the browns are prettier, but based on the title of the thread "best egg layers" I think members are focusing the White Leghorns because the best laying strains are white. Laying houses are not buying these white Leghorn strains because they have white feathers, but because they are the most productive layers in terms of sheer numbers in the chicken world.

I didn't see any threads on it but some replies have said they disliked the white color because of predation issues, which I do agree on but if someone still likes the breed but not the color, they could get browns instead.

 

[Michael OShay]

I didn't see any threads on it but some replies have said they disliked the white color because of predation issues, which I do agree on but if someone still likes the breed but not the color, they could get browns instead.

There is no question that white birds in general are more easier for predators to spot than darker birds. For my flock personally, predation is not an issue as all my birds are protected in enclosed runs, but I still don't personally like white birds as any injury or unusual speck on them becomes an obvious target for the other chickens to peck at. It's one of the reasons that I don't have any solid white birds in my flock.

 

[bruceha2000]

It's no wonder that there is so much confusion, when the hatcheries present false information. If customers took them to task for mis-representing their breeds, perhaps they'd change their tune.

One would hope LG but after I got my chicks from Ideal, I emailed them to ask if the Ameraucanas were true Ameraucanas or Easter Eggers (after reading about the differences here on BYC). The note I got back said there is no such breed as Easter Egger (which is true) so their birds are Ameraucanas. Neither of mine matched an accepted breed standard color and one lays green so she CAN'T be an Ameraucana.

Sorry but they are lying and there really is no excuse for it. Maybe people will buy more Patagonian Toothfish because the name in the market is Chilean Sea Bass which sounds oh so much nicer and "familiar" but Ideal will lose no sales if they change to accurately represent their Easter Eggers. They are a very popular "non" breed.

 

[lazy gardener]

EGGSACTLY! And, to be honest, If I was presented with a bin of EE pullets, and a bin of Ameraucana pullets, I just might choose the EE gals, b/c of my perception that they would be the better layers.

 

[Mr King]

I've didn't see any threads on here that I would have interpreted as associating the whole breed as being only white and I agree with you personally that the browns are prettier, but based on the title of the thread "best egg layers" I think members are focusing the White Leghorns because the best laying strains are white. Laying houses are not buying these white Leghorn strains because they have white feathers, but because they are the most productive layers in terms of sheer numbers in the chicken world.

well said.!