Best laying breeds?

[ChickenCanoe]

2 eggs a day? I thought this was physically impossible?

It is. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[NorthernChick1]

I have an EE along with 5 other different popular brown egg layer breeds.

I am adding this spring :
Austra White (supposedly docile like an Australorp with the production of a Leghorn, cream or off white eggs)

Golden Buff (a golden sex link, sold under a variety of strain brands such as Golden Comet, Cinnamon Queen, etc... the highest production brown egg layer there is)

And a Dominique , which will match up with the coloring of my Barred Rock but with a rose comb.


Between a couple of EEs or Olive Eggers, an Austra White and some high productive brown layers (hatchery birds) you could have a real productive and colorful egg basket.

my 2 ee's i beleive are around 5-6 months of age... is it normal for them not to be laying yet? im worried.... i have 2 silkies who dont lay what so ever who are a year old.... im scared my ee's will do the same...

 

[paxfarms]

Of all my girls, my White Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds are my best layers, followed closely by my Cuckoo Marans. Buff Orpingtons have a great personality and are above and beyond my favorite chickens, but they do lay a few less eggs than the rest, but not by much.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

my 2 ee's i beleive are around 5-6 months of age... is it normal for them not to be laying yet? im worried.... i have 2 silkies who dont lay what so ever who are a year old.... im scared my ee's will do the same...

Silkies are not known for egg production but EEs usually lay fairly well. This is the time of year when most chickens should be laying well and birds coming of age will start laying earlier as opposed to those approaching POL when days are getting short.
Lets look at the basics. Where did you get these EEs? How long have you had them?
The most important question is, what makes up their diet?
Type of feed, its protein % and calcium %, mill date of the feed?
What treats are you giving?
What percentage of their total intake is made up of treats?
Do they free range at all? What is the forage?

Have youor silkies ever laid?
If you don't know exactly how old the EEs are, you should have patience. Mine never laid before 5 1/2 months of age - even at this time of year.

 

[NorthernChick1]

I got them at the mid February and the man who sold them to me said they were born in December. They are fed 17% layer, il take a photo of the tag on the bag when i get home, they free range a few hours per day in weeds, grass, insects. They will be getting more greens once my coops run is fool proof as i lost my favorite hen to a fox last night...They get veggies and fruit scraps here and barely any meal worms as they are at the bottom of the pecking order and the others hog it all.

 

[Doc7]

my 2 ee's i beleive are around 5-6 months of age... is it normal for them not to be laying yet? im worried.... i have 2 silkies who dont lay what so ever who are a year old.... im scared my ee's will do the same...

My EE started laying in Mid December , born June 4. So that is her 7th month of life.

Don’t stress about it. Back yard chickens members who have young chickens will likely not stop stressing about it but they ought to.

Do not feed Layer feed until your entire flock is laying.

You will do far more damage to chickens feeding them calcium they don’t need, vs them not eating Layer feed for a month or two of eggs while all pullets catch up to them. You can offer oyster shell on the side if some lay early.

 

[Doc7]

I got them at the mid February and the man who sold them to me said they were born in December. They are fed 17% layer, il take a photo of the tag on the bag when i get home, they free range a few hours per day in weeds, grass, insects. They will be getting more greens once my coops run is fool proof as i lost my favorite hen to a fox last night...They get veggies and fruit scraps here and barely any meal worms as they are at the bottom of the pecking order and the others hog it all.

Please Stop feeding birds who are not laying Layer feed! This is the biggest and most frequent mistake by chicken keepers. Layer feed is for layers only.

 

[harmonyp]

Thanks for the post Doc7 on the layer feed - I red more after your post - very interesting, and will likely change my approach to feeding my kids once they start laying.

I like a handful of prior posters had great luck with Barred Rocks and Black Australorps. And my Buff Orpingtons were close. I averaged 4-5 eggs a day from 6 hens. They laid through their first two winters as well (but I'm in CA), and didn't start slowing down until around 5 years old.