BEST Brown Egg laying breed ?

[bigzio]

I love my light brahmas. They are a heritage breed and lay for longer periods of time, compared to any of the hybreds, that tend to burn our before long.

My 3 year old hens still lay every other day....what more could you ask for?

They are wonderful to work with and will be your favorite breed if you give them a chance.

bigzio

 

[Julie_in_PA]

Thanks for all the replies ! That's really helpful for future reference !! The breed that I'm getting in June is a hybrid breed = A cross between a White Rock egg layer type female and a Rhode Island Red male.
To my understanding (from what other members have said in another post of mine) ... the peeps would be called brown sex linked (or something like that).

So that's what I have to look forward to. I think it sounds like I should try some Barred Rocks to

Perhaps later (after getting these peeps arranged and the coop up) or even next year

Perhaps I'll try a mixture to see what I like.

 

[Peeps]

I have RIRs, barred rocks, ameraucanas, red sex link, light bramas and bantam cochins. They all going on 3yrs old and most of them still lay an egg a day. My Ameraucanas slow down the most in the winter. The cochins are not great layers, but I noticed if I add vitamins to their water, they lay a lot more.

 

[sundance]

I have RIR,and they lay large brown eggs. I have 13 with one roo, and12 ladies, so I get a doz a day.I can't turn them out to free graze until after dinner so I have to sit on the back of the P/U to watch them. After Yesterday I sometimes wonder about Pitt bull dogs. I have one that is a baby doll, but now I have to protect a 70 lb dog against a 6 lb RIR roo. The roo is also bigger than my yorkie, but ignores him and just goes for the pitt.

marrie

 

[uman58]

I'm new at raising hens. Can someone tell me if RIR's aggressive towards other hens. I have some NHR's. that are aggressive towards my ameraucanas. Thanks for any information.

 

[dheltzel]

I'm new at raising hens. Can someone tell me if RIR's aggressive towards other hens. I have some NHR's. that are aggressive towards my ameraucanas. Thanks for any information.

There are many strains of each breed, and even individual variations within the strains. For example, we have show quality New Hampshires and the roos are like kittens, we can pick them up anytime. I'm sure our Ameracauna roos would beat them up badly even though they are only 2/3 the size of the NH's.

Unless they are bred for aggression, I believe the "heritage" and show strains are less aggressive than hatchery stock. If you think about the selection process, of who gets the gals, it makes sense. In a large pen with dozens of males, the ones that are most aggressive will get the most mating opportunities. To a show breeder, any roo that beats up the other chickens, or tries to flog it's keeper, is very likely to get an "early retirement" from breeding.

So, the correct answer is "it depends". I usually raise up several roos and pull the ones I don't like for any reason, leaving the best in terms of looks and temperment.

 

[CrazyTalk]

The hybrid/sex-link commercial style layers are going to lay the best and eat the least.

They'll also burn out faster, and not be as meaty if you decide to eat them at some point.

As for whats best for you, it depends on what you need.

 

[Rocky64]

I have RIR and Isa Browns, this winter the hens have laid just about every day, without egg-layer mash or artificial light. I live in Michigan so our winters can be brutal. Here's two of them.

 

[Chicken Judy]

Hi there, I'm from Newnan, GA and m y RIR's gave me 8 for 8 today. I always get at least 6 everyday but most days 7 for sure.

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm new at raising hens. Can someone tell me if RIR's aggressive towards other hens. I have some NHR's. that are aggressive towards my ameraucanas. Thanks for any information.

Almost everything will be aggressive toward the non-combative Ameraucanas or Easter Eggers. I have 2 Silkies that keep chasing my APA Blue Wheaten Ameraucana because my Amer avoids conflict at all costs. She like most Amers and EEs is a good layer so to keep from stressing and interfering with her egg production I don't put her with dual purpose or assertive breeds like RIRs, NHRs, BRs, Orps, Lorps, Wyans, Legs, etc. Amers and EEs are nurturing birds that accept orphaned chicks or injured birds into their flock without incident where other breeds are not so nice. I have had RIR, NHR, BR, Doms, Legs, Marans, Silkies, Calif Grays, Ameraucana, and in the Spring will try a docile Breda. My RIR, NHR, BR, & Legs were good together but I consider them too assertive to mix with gentle non-combative breeds like Silkies, Polish, Amer or EEs, Araucana, Houdan, Faverolles, Cochins, Breda, Sultan, etc.

These are generalities. Sometimes an assertive breed will be gentle for a few seasons and then go bonkers on her flockmates like our Legs did -- we lucked out having one Leg gentle for 3 years before she turned on her flockmates but another Leg at 1 y/o got super-aggressive pulling beards/crests on the gentle breeds and so we had to rehome all the Legs. Between BRs and Doms I preferred the Doms for their consistent personalities. With BRs that have Malay and Game bird in their history I never knew what personality I would get out of them. People say it depends on what strain/line the birds come from but I don't consider that completely accurate any more. My friend and I had Marans of different colors from different lines/strains and we considered them all quite unpleasant regardless of what breeder they came from. They are ok in their own flock but are hard to find what breeds to mix them with so they don't nip or fight so mean.

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.