Whats the best chickens for eggs?

[Donnigan]

What chicken breeds lay the most eggs? Thanks

 

[azygous]

Of all my different breeds, my Wyandottes have been the best layers. Heck, I have two Wyandotte hens, one SLW and one GLW, and they are seven years old and still laying on a regular basis. And they are gorgeous girls. Meet Lilith and Irene.

 

[wrenm]

My RIR is 3 years, 3 months. She lays 2 days, takes a day off. Consistently, like clockwork. Her first 1 year she was 6 on, 1 off; her second year she was 4-5 on 1 off. Large brown eggs.

My Barred Rock is 1 year, 2 months. She lays 10-12 days in a row and then takes a day off. Large, almost extra large, brown eggs.

My Black Australorp is 1 year, 2 months. She lays 5-days in a row and takes a day off. Extra Large dark brown eggs that are almost all yolk.

My Buff Orpington is 1 year, 2 months. She lays 5-days in a row and takes a day off. Medium light brown to pink eggs.

I have a Production Red, a Light Brahma, and an Ameraucana all > 16 weeks and due to lay any day now. Interested in seeing how they will lay (expect the most out of the PR).

Hope that helps!

 

[wyatt015]

In my opinion it's Rhode Island Reds for brown eggs and White Leghorn for white eggs.

 

[Donnigan]

Of all my different breeds, my Wyandottes have been the best layers. Heck, I have two Wyandotte hens, one SLW and one GLW, and they are seven years old and still laying on a regular basis. And they are gorgeous girls. Meet Lilith and Irene.

They are so cute! Thanks for sharing!

 

[dekel18042]

What chicken breeds lay the most eggs? Thanks

In addition to the information you have been given, there are a few other things to consider. What part of the country do you live in and what is the climate?. Some of the hens good for hot weather would do poorly where there are cold winters. (Thinking leghorn here)
Do you intend to free range or will they be in coops or runs? That will affect the amount of feed you use and your egg to feed ration Do you just want eggs, period, or are you interested in color and size?
You might want to go to www.mypetchicken.com and answer a short survey. Depending on your answers they give a selection of breeds you might be happy with.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sex links and leghorns are the best consistent layers for about 2 seasons, you should get 5-7 eggs a week. If you want longer laying but are willing to get less eggs per week than some like Wyandotte, australorps and barred rocks will lay until about 4-5 years, and give you 3-5 eggs a week.

 

[Sylvester017]

Some points I researched over the years I've had chickens is:

Hybrid or production hens lay a lot of large eggs their first year or two and get spent pretty fast and lay lot less eggs afterwards which is why the poultry industry changes them out after their first laying cycle or molt. High production egg layers are also prone to issues like prolapse, egg bound, reproductive issues/cancer and mortality.

The broody type breeds will not lay as many eggs each year but will lay for more years to come and statistically less prone to reproductive issues.

A rule of thumb from research I found that hens will lay 20% less eggs than their prior year. So if a pullet started by laying 300 eggs her first year, she'll lay approx 240 her 2nd yr, approx 190 her 3rd yr, etc. etc. which explains why the egg industry changes out their old layers for new ones every year.

White Leghorns are high production birds and because of it 45% have reproductive issues/cancers before their 4th year. Researchers have used Leghorns for cancer study. If they live past their 4th year they continue laying well into their 6th, 7th, 8th yrs but of course at 20% less each year. Poor Leghorns - they're the poultry industry's guinea pigs. Leghorns have been caged in risk areas to monitor the West Nile virus mosquitoes because the Legs are supposedly immune to the disease when bitten. Legs also seem to be the breed most often used to increase egg production in other engineered breeds.

My conclusion is that the broody breeds seem to do what nature intended and as a reward seem to live a better healthier lifespan dependent of course on genetic line, diet, supplements, environment, etc.

 

[bigt447]

Sex links are known to lay more eggs than most, but they do so for a shorter period of time.

 

[pauleberly]

Of all my different breeds, my Wyandottes have been the best layers. Heck, I have two Wyandotte hens, one SLW and one GLW, and they are seven years old and still laying on a regular basis. And they are gorgeous girls. Meet Lilith and Irene.

We have 5 red sex links, which are going to lay alot of eggs, but for a shorter period of time. My wife and I both agree we should have gotten Wyandotte or buffs. Not only are they both beautiful birds, they will consistently lay eggs for a much longer time. Great looking birds az