My best winter layers overall have been my Dorkings. They're much older now, most of them over 5 years of age, so not laying like they used to, but in their prime they were all such consistent layers year-round. Took a break for molting and went back to it when they were done. They aren't super highly productive birds, about 5 eggs a week max, but definitely consistent with laying.
My Legbar is also proving to be a star winter layer, although I'd really like for her to take a break and molt as her feathers look absolutely ratty at this point! My large fowl Barred Rocks and Leghorns were pretty good as well, but they all definitely took a break at some point in the winter.
Currently, my most consistent winter layers are my Cochin bantams and Cochin bantam mixes, but they have a strong tendency to go broody through the summer so their egg laying gets sporadic that time of year instead.
Their eggs are also smaller, of course.
Remember that, in their first year, young hens usually don't take a break from laying, generally because they don't have a full adult molt until around their second autumn depending on what time of year they hatched. If winter laying is important to you, you could always raise up a new batch of pullets every spring so they go into lay mid to late summer and keep laying through the winter. Older birds can either be sold off or eaten to make space for younger ones. This is not how I choose to rotate my flock, but a viable option if winter egg count is important to you!
I'm curious what folks have to say...
