Best Cross For Egg Laying????

[metaluno67]

I would use a RIR rooster to a americuana or buff hen. My americauna hens a egg laying crazy, plus you can get brown and green eggs.

 

[Phoenixxx]

Red sex links/red stars/rhode island red cross, whatever you want to call them, are terrible. I started my flock with them and the most I ever got from 16 1-2 year-old hens was 6 eggs in one day. They may lay greatly for their first year, and the eggs are unbelievably huge (too big to fit jumbo cartons, even) but after their first year production drops dramatically, stopping altogether by the next year or year after. This wouldn't be too terrible except that there's no meat on them to speak of so they're not worth the trouble to put on the dinner table. I have three left, two of which haven't laid an egg since winter and one who insists on hiding her daily egg in the bushes, ha ha!

I'm switching to australorps and also acquired a chantecler/americauna cross. The australorps hold the world record for laying (364 eggs in a 365-day year) and I've read that they'll lay right into their 5th year! Plus they're a meaty bird so when they're done they can become a satisfying supper They also - according to what I've read - do not require additional heat or light in order to continue to lay through the winter, unlike most other breeds, thus saving on the power bill (which is RIDICULOUSLY expensive where I am!)

I don't know about the best OVERALL cross - I'm actually browsing to see what other people have "made" and the results thereof - but I'll be doing some cross-breeding myself once my new hens get broody. The chantecler (hardy winter layer that also doesn't need additional heat or light)/americauna cross will be bred to my australorp boys and, just for fun, to the blue australorp/houdan x rooster; the one australorp girl will be bred to my australorp boys (she's not related to them) and the other australorp girl is going to be with the blue australorp/houdan boy. If I remember to, once the kids are all grown up and laying themselves, I'll post back and let you know!

 

[Phoenixxx]

I will let you know how my chantecler/americauna x does once she starts laying. Both breeds are supposed to be exceptional layers but, being heritage rather than production birds, should lay consistently for several years.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

That right there is the difference. It's about what you want in your flock: a good layer that you keep for many years or a great layer that should be soup in fall of second summer. There's merit to both, I personally went for good laying heritage breed to work on. Get 5 eggs/week each and have many cockerels for meat birds each summer. Resale of heritage is higher if you've quality and due to the longer laying years so it it makes up for loss of egg yield. If eggs and very large eggs is your desire there's no beating the hatchery sex links, no roosters to worry about or hatching. Simply replace half the flock each year with cheap ordered chicks to rotate out the older birds and in doing keeps half the flock not molting in winter for constant eggs. Older bird culls are only good for broth and soup or pies. I do like Barbque summer cockerels though. Personal preference to what we want from a flock.

 

[Phoenixxx]

That's what I'm going for, too. I don't want to be spending money buying chicks or new hens each year - kinda defeats the purpose of raising my own eggs and meat. (May as well just go back to buying eggs.) I'm aiming for a varied flock of great layers and brooders that will provide ample meat in the boys as well as the girls (when they're done laying) while also requiring minimal care and feed. I had to use a heatlamp for the red stars last winter and my power bill skyrocketed. .. I mean, it's high in the winter to begin with, but last winter was about $50/month more... not worth it for the (lack of) eggs they gave me. So far I'm really happy with the new birds... the aussies and Hedwig, the chantecler/americauna pullet, all prefer to escape the coop first thing in the morning to forage. They go back in to snack a bit when I feed everyone else but then fly back out to go for their bugs and greens. I love my feed bill, lol!

 

[Fruitful Acres]

That's what I'm going for, too. I don't want to be spending money buying chicks or new hens each year - kinda defeats the purpose of raising my own eggs and meat. (May as well just go back to buying eggs.) I'm aiming for a varied flock of great layers and brooders that will provide ample meat in the boys as well as the girls (when they're done laying) while also requiring minimal care and feed. I had to use a heatlamp for the red stars last winter and my power bill skyrocketed. .. I mean, it's high in the winter to begin with, but last winter was about $50/month more... not worth it for the (lack of) eggs they gave me. So far I'm really happy with the new birds... the aussies and Hedwig, the chantecler/americauna pullet, all prefer to escape the coop first thing in the morning to forage. They go back in to snack a bit when I feed everyone else but then fly back out to go for their bugs and greens. I love my feed bill, lol!

I'm with you there! I'm so tired of buying birds just to keep the family in eggs.
We just sold our entire mixed breed flock and bought just over a couple dozen Faverolles. Egg laying has been great (5/week per hen). The previous owner said they all went broody at least once this year and about half of them twice. We're about to slaughter some cockerels so we'll see what that's like, but they are as heavy or heavier than any of the dual purpose breeds we've kept before and the bonus is that males and females are different colors so there no question we're eating cockerels even though the pullets haven't reached POL.

Anyway, the real reason I popped on here was to share an old Amish trick to help you out with your power bill. They said that any chicks hatched before the days start getting shorter lay all winter the first year and don't stop until their first hard molt the following year. We've found that to be true and have never used lights for winter eggs. We've had Rocks, Orps, Sussex, RIR, Australorp, Wyandottes, Silkies, Ameraucanas, Leghorns, Delawares, and a few other breeds at one time or another.

 

[Phoenixxx]

Newchickens2009: another point to consider that has kind of come up here is, are you looking for self-propogating layers or are you okay with buying new each year? Pretty much anything rhode island red/RIR-related has had the broody bred out of them so, if you wanted a self-propogating flock, you either have to explore the heritage breeds or invest in an incubator and brooder set-up. (Which can be costly and time-consuming.)

Fruitful acres: thanks for the tip! So, basically chicks born in the month of June, then? I don't know that I'll be able to decide WHEN my hens get broody but I think for now I'll just leave nature to it for the first couple of hatches. I'd like salmon faverolles, too... eventually I'll get one (or more!)

 

[Fruitful Acres]

Fruitful acres: thanks for the tip! So, basically chicks born in the month of June, then? I don't know that I'll be able to decide WHEN my hens get broody but I think for now I'll just leave nature to it for the first couple of hatches. I'd like salmon faverolles, too... eventually I'll get one (or more!)

You're welcome. You got the idea. I'm down in Texas so we're far enough south that the really broody breeds, like Silkies, are raising their second clutch by June. The breeder we got the Faverolles from said the first hen hatched 8 chicks in February this year so I have high hopes for the Faverolles at this point. Not all Faverolles are prone to go broody, so you'd probably be wise to find a breeder who has and encourages broodiness in their flock if and when you decide get one.

 

[pegm]

Sorry for the stupid question, my ignorance is showing. Please, what does the term "sex link" mean?

 

[Fruitful Acres]

Males and females are different colors so you don't have to wait until the chick crows or lays an egg to be certain of gender.