Strange that you've had such bad luck with Wyandottes. We only have one right now, but she's a big hardy bird. No idea how well she's laying, though. My husband just likes the looks of them, so we always have at least one.
I have had terrible luck with buff Orpingtons. Those birds seemed to NEVER lay any eggs.
After lots of experimenting, we've come down to these birds in our layer flock (we sell eggs, so egg numbers and size are very important to us):
Red Sex Links
EEs
white Leghorns
We keep a few other random birds. Always a Buttercup because I think they're cute. Always a Wyandotte or three because my husband likes them. Some Tetra Tints right now because I got a super good deal on them as young pullets. Some farm-bred mixes that were hatched at a local elementary school and were given back to us. But as for the backbone of the flock, the ladies I rely on to pay the feed bill, it's the RSL, EEs and Leghorns. The EEs don't lay so well, but the colored eggs sell the cartons!
