Best hen for laying??

[nicalandia]

Quote:
production type white leghorns not only will out lay them, they will do so at a more cost efective way...

Quote:
that WAS 1 hen....No other Autralorp comes close to that record..........

 

[Krys109uk]

production type white leghorns not only will out lay them, they will do so at a more cost efective way

I think it is probably a rather fine line between production types & hybrids.

Australorps were excellent layers back in the day as were many of the purebreeds. These days many of the utility traits are not particularly selected for in the purebreeds.

 

[FrizzleFreak]

Quote:
Isa's are INCREDIBLY prone to many conditions, especially egg binding and impacted crop. They are also not hardy at all. Under 30 degrees or above ninety and you start losing them. Or maybe they're just dumb. As in, they try to take dust baths in the snow and freeze to death.
In my experience, production birds give you lots of eggs, but don't live very long, are very unfriendly, not hardy, and are typically ugly.
My customers like having a variety in their eggs as well; I have Welsummers, Jersey Giants, Brahmas, Sumatras, Cochins, Wyandottes, and EE's. (and a bunch more running around that I've forgotten about again.) Each breed that I have lays a different egg; be it color, size, size of yolk, or shell thickness. My eggs are valued the most around here, not just because they are organic and free range, but because they are beautiful!Also, all of these chickens are beautiful and friendly. It's my ideal flock! (kinda...I need a lot more!)
Most of these birds are also egg type-they won't wear themselves out like a Leghorn, but they will lay persistently and steadily.

 

[birdnutz]

My California whites started laying at around 17 weeks. An egg a day,not flighty and large enough to be a broiler. The bantam Americauna beats them though!

 

[lildinkem]

The best layers I had were some production RIR's I got from a fellow BYCer here in Pendleton IN. Ofcourse we're talking a production quality line of RIR's. They lay huge eggs, and I would put them up there with any other hybrid or breed. Especially considering the size of their eggs and the bird. That has to be taken in consideration as well. Not just the numbers of eggs but their sizeof eggs and meat.

 

[Sillystunt]

Production reds without a doubt! They were cross breed to develope a dual purpose bird that produces a high amount of large brown eggs.
And there is no real production RIR, they are just production reds. RIR are a pure breed and not mixed. They are also very dark in color compared to production reds. Productions are RIR and NR breed together but today they breed in other types as well. Many RIR sold in feed stores and some hatcheries are production reds.

 

[jjdward]

My vote goes to Black Stars. I ordered 30 from Ideal last year and they have been great chickens. ALL mine are very friendly and tame. I have sold/given away about half of them. I get at least 13 eggs a day.

 

[aveca]

so many good egg layers. RIRs , red star, australorps, do you like brown ,white, or the pretty colored eggs.? You can look at so many sites to et an idea of what appeals to you. We had one of those black star years ago., she was not only sweet temperred, but was dependable egg layer and long lived.Just depends on what you like. do you have a lot of space, if not some people keep the bantam versions of RIRs ect.and seem to be real happy with them.

And they are what they eat ....free range chcickens get enough folic acid ect, old timers add a little the unfiltered vinigar, stuffs like magic. keeps the digestion in prime working order if you can find it, some apple mash works as well .and some other goodies to thier feed, happy hens lay nice dark yellow yokes and good sized eggs and arnt as interested in eating thier own eggs when they are happy and fed well..

I think they have an area in here that discusses feeds for hens.

And I misspell everything its just me.