BEST Brown Egg laying breed ?

[uman58]

I have a problem. I have some poults that are 18 weeks old and they are about a third of the size of my other layers. I bought them from a reputable hatchery. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[alibabba]

These are generalities.

Since you have Ameraucanas (or if they are Easter Eggers) they will usually avoid conflict unless cornered so I don't mix them with the assertive dual purpose or assertive breeds like RIR, NHR, BR, Orps, Wyans, Legs, etc. My friend's EE was injured badly from the assertive dual purpose breeds in the flock because like Faverolles most EEs try to run rather than fight back.

This is an interesting thread, it's nice to hear real experiences with different breeds.

I am going to get Brahma's next, they are just about everything I like to look at, and seem generally sweet and calm. If only they had beards... And I love the idea for backyard flocks breeds having extended laying, slower, over the course of a natural lifespan.

I have 2 EE's that I think are part brown leghorn. (To keep the eggs more blue and lay plenty, I guess) They are tough as nails, but not abusive) Haven' had any production breeds yet. I saw some Heritage RIR's that are very beautiful, friendly. And went broody...

 

[Sylvester017]

I have a problem. I have some poults that are 18 weeks old and they are about a third of the size of my other layers. I bought them from a reputable hatchery. Any ideas? Thanks

Welcome to chickeneering. Raising chickens is a gamble no matter where you get them from or at what ages. You can only do your best in hopes of getting a good strain/line. I remember one owner who ordered a batch of CornishX chicks to raise for meat and on slaughter day one of the hens was too small and set aside. Well, she never grew large enough for meat but turned out to be the best egg-layer they ever had.

Sometimes hatcheries and sometimes even private breeders will send the wrong order - i.e.- someone ordered 25 White Rock chicks and got White Leghorns instead. It happens. I ordered a pullet from a private breeder and got sent a cockerel.

I'd say as long as your 18-week olds eventually start laying I wouldn't worry. Large birds don't necessarily mean large eggs. In fact the best known egg layers - Leghorns - are smaller birds but can crank out XL eggs while Jersey Giants can crank out sometimes a LG egg at best. You just never know. We had two Buff Leghorn sisters and one layed a LG while the other layed XL - same parentage with different results.

As an option if you are unhappy with how your 18-week-olds turn out re-home them or use them for meat and use another source for a new order of chickens. In 4 years I've cycled through 13 chickens to get down to the 4 we liked and kept. GL!

 

[ceceuu]

I have 8 chickens and 7 different breeds one year old. I get 4 to 6 eggs per day. My Gold Star lays approx one egg per week. She is my smallest chicken and the eggs are humongous. Here is a pic of the eggs in the cartoon (hopefuuly) so you get an idea. Poor little girl!

 

[LeiaLayers5]

I have 8 chickens and 7 different breeds one year old. I get 4 to 6 eggs per day. My Gold Star lays approx one egg per week. She is my smallest chicken and the eggs are humongous. Here is a pic of the eggs in the cartoon (hopefuuly) so you get an idea. Poor little girl!

I have heard people say that their hen laid huge eggs before but so far our girls are laying large eggs. The only unusual one so far was a white speckled egg from our brown layers which I know happens sometimes.
I love seeing all the interesting things that can come up with these girls. I am really excited because our EEs come home this weekend from the breeder. Anxious to add the 2 new girls and increase our flock. Hopefully our introduction goes well. First time adding new members.

 

[Sylvester017]

I have heard people say that their hen laid huge eggs before but so far our girls are laying large eggs. The only unusual one so far was a white speckled egg from our brown layers which I know happens sometimes.
I love seeing all the interesting things that can come up with these girls. I am really excited because our EEs come home this weekend from the breeder. Anxious to add the 2 new girls and increase our flock. Hopefully our introduction goes well. First time adding new members.

I have 8 chickens and 7 different breeds one year old. I get 4 to 6 eggs per day. My Gold Star lays approx one egg per week. She is my smallest chicken and the eggs are humongous. Here is a pic of the eggs in the cartoon (hopefuuly) so you get an idea. Poor little girl!

Poor girls are laying eggs so very large! Friends of ours had problems with eggbound and prolapse from hybrid hens laying huge eggs so we never wanted to go through that. I prefer the broody breeds that give their bodies a rest from egg-laying and lay more average-sized eggs. The big-size egg layers get spent so quickly it must take a toll on nutrients in their bodies. JMHO.

 

[ceceuu]

I have 8 chickens and 7 different breeds one year old. I get 4 to 6 eggs per day. My Gold Star lays approx one egg per week. She is my smallest chicken and the eggs are humongous. Here is a pic of the eggs in the cartoon (hopefuuly) so you get an idea. Poor little girl!

The Gold Star egg is the front of the cartoon at the back of the eggs in this picture.. You can see how far it sticks up from the points in the cartoon dividers. She is my sweetest girl,

 

[feather13]

My beautiful, sweet Red Sex Link is my best layer. She lays an egg every day, even through the winter. My Australorp is the worst layer (and skittish to boot).

 

[Mikeychix]

Definitely my RSL's! They lay stunning speckled brown eggs https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4VlUGJ1z7hhb0c4ZVlkZ3Z1OXM/edit?usp=docslist_api

 

[king tail]

my best brown egg layers are my golden sex links, the have been laying for about a month now and have layed every day!