Opinions on best egg layers

[jtn42248]

I consistently get an egg a day each from my Wyandottes and my Rocks. My Andalusians must have a Union because they lay aprox. 5 eggs a week and take the weekend off.

 

[Arielle]

Consider how hens behave when they go broody and sit on all the eggs she can get . . . . a broody hen will defend those eggs. My sons hated being pecked by a diligent broody so learned to use a pole to slide under her and look for eggs. Then they got me. So perhaps consider chickens that are less likely to go broody. . . and know that the little ones ( human) need to be supervised at all times.

My most docile birds are the buff orpingtons. My girls from Ideal are fairly good layers.

You might need to decide what is your priority: great layers, or docile. My reds from Ideal are wicked tough girls; my black astralorps are often broody though let us under to collect eggs;

How much hens lay depends on the strain.

THe super commerical layers are ISA Browns , and leghorns.

You might consider the silver laced wyandottes-- they are pretty and decent layers and complacent enough.

 

[Peep_Show]

I've got 3 RSL's and they're steady layers, but the eggs rarely get above a Medium in size. They're also fairly aggressive and in peril of being voted off the island and would be if they weren't such dependable layers.

My best layer is a pullet hatched out of a Trader Joe's (grocery store) fertile egg. It's apparently a Hy-Line hybrid. She lays at dawn each day a Large+ cream-colored egg and has done so since her 3rd day of laying. She's a sweetie, not flighty at all. I'm going to hatch more!

 

[JJSS89]

On thing to keep in mind...on this thread you read, "I have a hen of ____ breed who lays every single day! She is the best"

Nothing wrong with that but keep in mind if you want a flock of the consistent best then go with something more industry standard.

I've got a Sebright who laid every single day except one or two throughout the winter but I'd never recommend people get a Sebright for laying hens

 

[rachellou76]

We have golden comets we raised as babies and they lay great and love us. Very docile! We have a white jersey giant we got as an adult and she's not nice. We also have Wyandottes, a silkie, a couple Buff Orphingtons, 7 Leghorns, a few Black Australorps, and some Easter Eggers. We get a few blue and green eggs per day. The Leghorns seem to lay well, huge white eggs. We just got them as laying adults so they are a little skittish but are coming around.

I have yet to see an egg from the silkie. We also have a huge black Cochin rooster, he's very docile and never crows. We also have a bantam that looks like an Easter Egger.

If you want one that is nice and lays prolificly, you can't go wrong with the red sex links.

 

[Arielle]

Rachel has made a good point. Those birds that we p layed with as chicks were the friendliest. Oh, have a look at the speckled sussex. My boys loved those girls!

 

[eracerx46]

If egg production is all your after....their is a reason the commercial industry uses leghorns. I was given white leghorns from a teacher that couldnt find a home for them. It's winter, but by far my best layers. Some still lay giant, like jumbo turkey size eggs. From such a tiny bird, feel sorry for the poor girls sometimes.

 

[SEHchicks]

My girls started to lay right after New Year's Day, literally! They were hatched last May so I waited for a VERY long time for the first eggs, and we got 7 out of the 4 Hens on that first day of laying! Go figure!

Our Buff Orpington found a special place to lay her eggs, so we can tell she has not stopped a single day since she started!
The rest three, 2 RIR (or production red) and Black Australorp lay about 3 a day among them except most weekend days, we get two - not sure which one(s) takes the breaks but they are all great layers.

We love them, but the Red ones are a little more aggressive. I love the BO most as she is gentle, never complaints, and sing her egg song only a little bit.

Our Astralorp complaints a lot and loud, very picky with her food, but gentle and friendly too!

 

[cstronks]

Golden Comets, Isa Browns Red Sex Links, Production Reds...They're all pretty much the same bird when it boils down and they are the best production brown egg layers on the market. They're readily available through most hatcheries and local farm stores/chick sellers, but their downfall is sometimes, but not always, health problems that arise from being bred to lay excessively. I have Rhode Island Reds (which are used to make Red Sex Links) and they consistently give me 6 to 7 quality eggs a week, even throughout the winter. Their molts have also been relatively short so they take less than a month between stopping and starting with their egglaying. All these breeds are relatively docile, but tend to find their way to the top of the pecking order, especially when paired with Orpingtons.

Leghorns are the commercial white egg layers and are indeed prolific, but they can be very flighty and tough to handle, even if raised as chicks. It seems to be a quality inherent in the breed. Also, leghorns are not known to be great in cold weather, mainly because of their large combs and waddles that are prone to frostbite. I live in NJ, and there are people who raise leghorns with success, so I'm sure with a few added precautions, like an insulated coop, you can get away with raising them in cold temps. However, if you're looking for birds that will not only serve as egg layers but also as pets, then you may want to avoid this skittish breed. Hope this helps!

 

[68camaro]

Buff Orpington, Black Australorp, Golden Comets,