Whats the best chickens for eggs?

[TroyerGal]

I have 15 Red Sex Links... I regularly get 14 eggs a day. They do pick on the little pullets and ducks, but they lay really well.

 

[lazy gardener]

That was one single hen, a Black Australorpe who set that record. To my knowledge, that record has not been matched since. While BA's are good layers, one should not expect that kind of record from any BA, or any hen of any other breed! (Good to hope for, but not realistic.)

 

[DuckGirl77]

My 3-yr-old Blue Wheaten Ameraucana (my avatar at 5-mo) has been non-combative and submissive to my Silkies. She's never been interested in flock domination or politics but has been more interested in the noises, motions, and intruders into the yard like stray cats, Mourning Doves or Sparrows, etc. We called her our sentinel/guardian because you never saw her 100% relaxed, always wary, cautious, alert. We opened the egg collection door or the cleanout door at night and while the others slept she would be the one to be alert, stand up, and start murmuring. She's been ill for a few weeks and medicine the vet prescribed didn't improve her. We had to put the poor sweet baby to sleep today. R.I.P. Taffy girl.

My last photos of her taken this morning.

Poor hen. I'm so, so sorry

 

[waddles99]

Easter eggers aren't a breed, they're a term, so I would keep them off the list specifically since there are so many different hybrids that qualify as EE, there is a lot of variation within the classification, as far as production.

 

[love laugh farm]

My 2 laying hens (Res Stars) are giving me 1-2 eggs per day each, I have consistently gotten anywhere from 14-18 eggs per week from 2 hens. I have heard they burn themselves out after just a few seasons but they are a dual purpose breed and I buy them at started pullets for $10. A 2gal feeder lasts 4 birds about 1 - 1 1/2 weeks with a BR and EE all sharing the feeder. As for temperament - it's the same with every animal, dependent on the individual: "Rawr", our head honcho hen, lays jumbo eggs, quickly puts new comers in there place and makes sure they soon don't forget it either but with people, even kids, she loves attention! She comes running to you, she screams at you went walk past the hose because she likes to play in the water, she was even thrown in the shower with me as a prank- which turns out she loves showers too. But "Princess Fluffy Buttcheeks" (don't laugh, my kids named her) is picky. She lays med-lg eggs, doesn't care if new chickens come around as long as they don't steal her food, she'll come close enough to ask for treats and the hose but heaven forbid if you reach out a friendly hand, she'd think you were axing her right there!
We've also got Little Annie, our BR who should be laying any day now. They are supposed to be great layers too so we'll see. L.A. is SUPER friendly! She wont come fly up on you but if you pick her up she'll climb all the way onto your shoulder and make it known that's her spot! she loves the kids too.
EE's are difficult.. I've got 3 none old enough to lay just yet. Casey thinks everything is out to kill her, including the roost pole. Anna and Elsa can't get enough attention and scream at you to hold them. I can't accurately report egg production since mine haven't started yet
Our BO "Tuff the Buff" (no, she's a lady too.. I know.. Kids) is probably more friendly than any of them. Again, she's not started laying yet so no reports on her breed EP either. But goodness she is loving!!! before I can open the door she is flapping on it trying to get through the door, she looks angry and she pecks at your fingers but once that door is opened! She hops straight onto your arms and just talks and talks! Her wings are not clipped, yet she sits in the backyard, on the arm of her 10 year old BFF just chatting away looking around. She's never hopped off or had interest to go anywhere other then an arm or lap, I am pretty sure she's never even walked around the yard free range..
I myself am more looking for production and friendliness. They are all great breeds through research and testimonies. But each bird is different. I am completely sold on my RS and when it's time for a hen to go I'll always replace them with a $10 started RS pullet, we'll just have to wait and see how the others lay and if they can keep up with the RS!

 

[Shezadandy]

If my math figures are correct it seems the EEs are not as good layers as your other dynamos but EEs are a way to add some pretty colors to the egg basket. I decided not to add any more blue layers to my flock after we had to put down our sweet Blue Wheaten Ameraucana. Not because she was not a production bird but because her extremely downy feathers collected mud like a magnet and her tush feathers always needed shampooing because of the over-fluffy vent. Her thick down was problematic in our heatwaves and she did much better in cooler or rainy conditions. She was klutzy and jittery and not meaning to she dashed out of the nestbox after laying her egg and injured a Silkie knocking it off the nestbox ledge. She was a nervous hyper-sensitive Amer and after watching my friend's EEs they aren't much different. Her EEs are the least productive of her breeds. She has to keep 3 EEs to equal production of one of her laying breeds like Buff Orp, Leghorn, Hybrids, and Sexlinks. Our Marans were not good production birds but then like EEs you keep them for the unusual colors they lay.

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your girl!

As for the EE's .. Yes- they are there mostly for color. Size wise they're consistently giving me large eggs (pink and green) and doing 'enough' but yes, longer 'vacations' than some of the others take, but the colors help sell eggs. When the EEs first started laying they would aim for the narrowest place to squeeze into to lay their eggs- one is the 2nd lowest bird, the other is mid-pack. No issues with rushing off or damaging eggs, but they go for the funkiest, hard to reach, short box (which was made to suit them, other boxes are much bigger)-- they like the top right. We've got 2 MPC Super Blue Egg layer pullets that are supposed to do 5-6 large blue per week. They're 10 weeks now so we'll see how they do, probably better than the EE's as they likely have leghorn in that cross somewhere. We also got a cockerel who is much different looking from the pullets- first we'll see if he's a nice bird to have around after the hormones hit before considering how he might fit.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

The best white egg layer is a leghorn
The best brown egg layer is a hybrid mixed breed known by a lot of different names... Golden buff, red sex link, red star, golden comet, etc.
The best dual purpose layer is an Australorp
The best blue egg layer is a super blue egg layer (leghorn/ameraucana mix)

Some breeds do better under certain conditions. Leghorns are better in hot weather. Small-combed birds like most blue egg layers are better in cold weather. A more heritage based bird like an australorp will do better free ranging over a large space. Birds that lay more eggs in a year lay for fewer years as well. Extreme egg laying champs (leghorns, golden hybrids) also tend to have a greater chance of prolapse and vent issues. Think about it.

 

[Shezadandy]

IMO I wouldn't think so- to me it's more like an expensive EE that "will" give large blue eggs which is a different thing all together than dealing with all the SOP stuff and the utility that seems to get lost as you mentioned- egg production taking a back seat. I don't say that in any sort of derogatory way, because coming up with a bird that lays 5-6 large blue eggs is a wonderful thing! Especially for folks that are just looking to get some more color and large eggs in the egg basket, it's an appealing middle ground instead of a grab bag of "maybes" in the EEs or jumping into another breed whose main focus isn't always the actual egg production.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and my dad like refuses to eat store eggs now so no going back now

 

[dukecitycoop]

I have only owned chickens for a couple weeks now. We bought 3 Australorp hens. 1 of the hens is still a little young and is not laying yet, but the other two give me an egg a day. They are supposed to pop out around 300-360 eggs a year.