Are Silver Laced better layers than Golden Laced Wyandottes in general?

[Scotty from BI]

Murray McMurray website shows SLW as very good layers and GLW as good layers. Is there really a difference if all other variables are the same, (lighting, feed, crowding or stress levels, etc.) or is it totally anecdotal, depending on the individual bird.

 

[QueenMisha]

Both Silver Laced and Golden Wyandottes should be average-good layers of 4-5 eggs per week. Obviously this can and will vary from individual to individual and based on environment, but on average, that's their quota. Some hatcheries seem to have recently added a lot of Leghorn stock to their SLWs, though, which could potentially boost laying ability to a high production 5-6 eggs per week (though certainly at the detriment of even being able to call them much of a purebred anything). I do not know if MMH is one of the hatcheries following this trend, although I can't say it would much surprise me.

 

[Michael OShay]

Both Silver Laced and Golden Wyandottes should be average-good layers of 4-5 eggs per week. Obviously this can and will vary from individual to individual and based on environment, but on average, that's their quota. Some hatcheries seem to have recently added a lot of Leghorn stock to their SLWs, though, which could potentially boost laying ability to a high production 5-6 eggs per week (though certainly at the detriment of even being able to call them much of a purebred anything). I do not know if MMH is one of the hatcheries following this trend, although I can't say it would much surprise me.

X2 on QueenMisha's post although very few of my Wyandottes ever laid 5 eggs in a week. 3-4 eggs per hen per week was much more common.

 

[Scotty from BI]

OMG, If I only get about 3-4 eggs per week per bird, say 3 conservatively, I would need at least 9 birds to get 4 eggs a day (my need) and this doesn't allow for molt, broody periods bad weather. I am not sure if the 3-4 per week is based on a yearly average and includes higher numbers in summer and lower in winter. Chicken math is harder than anything I learned in school. If this is the case and I want to get about 28 eggs per week, I am guessing that between 12 and 15 birds should do it at the lowest production cycles. It's a given that during the summer, we will be swimming in eggs which is fine (more is better than too few), but the off months are the challenge. Anyone care to speculate on this math and especially if you have experience with this breed or similar.

 

[Michael OShay]

OMG, If I only get about 3-4 eggs per week per bird, say 3 conservatively, I would need at least 9 birds to get 4 eggs a day (my need) and this doesn't allow for molt, broody periods bad weather. I am not sure if the 3-4 per week is based on a yearly average and includes higher numbers in summer and lower in winter. Chicken math is harder than anything I learned in school. If this is the case and I want to get about 28 eggs per week, I am guessing that between 12 and 15 birds should do it at the lowest production cycles. It's a given that during the summer, we will be swimming in eggs which is fine (more is better than too few), but the off months are the challenge. Anyone care to speculate on this math and especially if you have experience with this breed or similar.

4 eggs per week is about right on for a year's average for Wyandottes (a little over 200 eggs per year per hen). If you want to average 28 eggs per hen per week, you will need to get at least 7 Wyandottes and there will be weeks when you will not get 28 eggs. If you want to be guaranteed 28 eggs per week every week throughout the year with only 9 hens, I would recommend going with Sex Links, particularly with Black Sex Links which are very persistent winter layers.