Are Red Stars as Good as They Say?

[BikerMichael]

Red Stars and Black Stars are both sex linked birds. Meaning that their sex can be determined at birth with the naked eye because of their obvious differences.

Both, Red and Black Stars, are equally excellent layers of brown eggs. I would venture to say they're the best brown egg layers of all breeds. They're also excellent meat chickens once they've served their useful life as layers - -usually three years.

However, the overall best layer is undoubtedly the Leghorn. No wonder they're the breed used by most commercial chicken houses. They're also used by the commercial layers because they're smaller, thus, eat less. Further, Leghorns take less room in the cramped space the commercial layers allow them.

For the backyard chicken enthusiast who has a sign in front of their house "Farm Fresh Eggs" I recommend you stay away from Leghorns because they lay white eggs. I will now explain the reason.

The difference between white-shelled eggs and brown-shelled eggs is simply the color! Nothing else! Same nutrition, same everything. Some whites are bigger than some browns and vice-versa. But otherwise they're identical.

However, most everyone who stops at a farm house because they saw your "Farm Fresh Eggs" sign expects brown eggs! Thus, that is what they want. They will argue with you to no end that brown eggs are "tastier", "yolk is thicker", "deeper yellow", grandma told me they're better, and will point out to you that "brown eggs are more expensive at the store because they're organic", etc.

Oh, they sure love that word "organic" and they will throw it around to no end. If only they knew there is no such thing as a truly organic chicken or egg - - unless you live in a sterile bubble.

Anyway, believe me, you won't be able to convince those customers that white and brown eggs are identical. So, just give it up, give them the brown eggs and you won't lose the customer. Then, just keep the white ones for yourself, like I do. Or simply don't get any more Leghorns, a direction I'm slowly leaning toward.

Enjoy your chickens! They're great therapists and cheaper than a shrink!

 

[Michael OShay]

Both, Red and Black Stars, are equally excellent layers of brown eggs. I would venture to say they're the best brown egg layers of all breeds.

However, the overall best layer is undoubtedly the Leghorn. No wonder they're the breed used by most commercial chicken houses.

This is generally true. However in my 50 years experience this dynamic changes in areas with really cold winter temperatures. The Black and Red Sex Links (Black and Red Stars) handle the really long cold spells better than the Leghorns do, and as a result, their lay rate does not drop off as much as the Leghorns in these really frigid temperatures so that in cold weather climates Black and Red Sex Links can even outlay Leghorns. The commercial laying houses that have Leghorns keep them in a constantly warm, well lighted environment. In these kind of conditions, White Leghorns are unmatched as layers and one caged White Leghorn in a controlled environment set the world's laying record in 1979 with 371 eggs in 365 days.

 

[BikerMichael]

Excellent observation Michael!

However since I grew up in the Caribbean and in Florida it wasn't until I moved to TN that I noticed severe cold indeed affects the birds - - some more than others.

Thanks for sharing the world record for Leghorns, I didn't know such records were kept!

Cheers!

Michael

Enjoy your chickens!

They're great therapists and cheaper than shrinks!

 

[Manningjw]

This is generally true. However in my 50 years experience this dynamic changes in areas with really cold winter temperatures. The Black and Red Sex Links (Black and Red Stars) handle the really long cold spells better than the Leghorns do, and as a result, their lay rate does not drop off as much as the Leghorns in these really frigid temperatures so that in cold weather climates Black and Red Sex Links can even outlay Leghorns. The commercial laying houses that have Leghorns keep them in a constantly warm, well lighted environment. In these kind of conditions, White Leghorns are unmatched as layers and one caged White Leghorn in a controlled environment set the world's laying record in 1979 with 371 eggs in 365 days.

It laid more than 1 egg per day on average? Super chicken... Mine has definitely been my best layer, she didn't take more than 1 or 2 days off until her first molt. She is a bit older now and still putting out about 5-6 eggs per week, JUMBO eggs.

The previous record was held by Australorps I believe, I don't know that you can find any laying more than 340 per year now days even with modern light/feed though but I could be wrong.

 

[frw1985]

I had the same problem with one of my Godlen Sex links from aide Poultry I bought these in 2000". She laid all double yolk eggs. After I figured out who was doing it I put her up in a separate coop on a low Protien feed. It was 10 days later but she finally went back to laying single yolk eggs. But her eggs were huge after that, she still laid at least two per month.of the double yolk eggs. She was a large heat Han the rest of the flock. I had 26 hens total and she ur weighed the others by a pound.after she was two yrs old she became ga bound and died, I got he egg out but there was too much damage alread done. I had also hatch some chicks from these birds and they breed true like themselves and produced roosters allow white hens Browns I raised over a hundred out of them and all were exactly the colors they should have been, anyone tried hatching sex links and what colors did the. Produce? We kept all of the roosters to butchering age.
I don't have a lot of room for chickens now and want the few that I can have to lay and lay well. I don't mind getting new hens every month.
Any one had several of the sex link breeds and prefer one over the others. I have been reading about the ISA Browns they seem to be excellent layers!

 

[Amylia]

I have 2 red stars and 4 white leghorns. The Reds are NOT social and not friendly toward people or other chickens. The leghorns are more pet like! I like the egg production from the red stars but don't like the aggressive part. They are currently separated from the leghorns because they are too aggressive. They've been separated for awhile. I'm questioning how badly I want brown eggs at this point due to the aggressiveness of the red stars... Just wanted to add this. I'm assuming there are exceptions yo every rule. And mine are obviously the acception to the norm.

 

[Manningjw]

I have 2 red stars and 4 white leghorns. The Reds are NOT social and not friendly toward people or other chickens. The leghorns are more pet like! I like the egg production from the red stars but don't like the aggressive part. They are currently separated from the leghorns because they are too aggressive. They've been separated for awhile. I'm questioning how badly I want brown eggs at this point due to the aggressiveness of the red stars... Just wanted to add this. I'm assuming there are exceptions yo every rule. And mine are obviously the acception to the norm.

Our leghorns are very flightly and perfectly match the usual breed description attributed to them, I haven't noticed TOO much aggression from my leghorn hens but they will do the usual pecking on younger/newer additions to the flock. Our red stars are people friendly and about average on the social spectrum for aggression towards other chickens. So far we have had 3 red stars, all from different sources, and 4 white leghorns from the same source, 2 brown leghorns from a different source that are flightly but a bit less so compared to white leghorns.

 

[bigbruce]

Great birds

 

[BikerMichael]

I have 2 red stars and 4 white leghorns. The Reds are NOT social and not friendly toward people or other chickens. The leghorns are more pet like! I like the egg production from the red stars but don't like the aggressive part. They are currently separated from the leghorns because they are too aggressive. They've been separated for awhile. I'm questioning how badly I want brown eggs at this point due to the aggressiveness of the red stars... Just wanted to add this. I'm assuming there are exceptions yo every rule. And mine are obviously the acception to the norm.

First the question of "Are they as good as they say?" Yes, absolutely, they're great layers and have a good temperament. In terms of layers, they indeed are beaten by Leghorns who are the best layers in feather world. But, that's a topic that has been discussed ad nausea, so, we're not going to get into it again.

As to your anti-social Red Stars, maybe you have "defective" ones is all I can say. I've never seen them to be aggressive, but they're animals. They certainly are big enough to be meat chickens, so, eating them may be the answer.

Do you know the difference between brown-shell eggs and white-shell eggs? The color of the shell (period)!

If you're feeding all your chickens the same feed, the quality of your eggs will be the same throughout. Shell color has been a pet peeve of mine with my customers over the years. To the point I enclose with each customer's order a print-out detailing the difference between white and brown eggs (quality, yolk color, nutrition, price at the store, etc.) No matter how many times you explain it to the customers they will still insist that grandma knew better because she always had hens that lay brown eggs. It's a no win battle with customers. Keep the white ones for you and sell the brown ones to your customers; that way both you and the customers will be happy.

So, it's good that you're color blind when it comes to shell color!

Michael Menendez
Westmoreland, TN

chickens are great therapists and they're cheaper, too!

 

[Amylia]

i am NOT color blind! I have red stars so that I have brown eggs, but having to deal with aggressive brown egg layers isn't worth it at the time! So, I know they are great layers. I was just stating my experience with the breed since the thread starter asked if red stars are as good as they say.

I have white leghorns to have white eggs, once they start laying. But I'm not going to let them be attacked by the brown egg laying red stars! Do yes I know the difference!!!!!!