Best starter breeds

[Tylexie]

Which would you recommend: welsummer, wyandotte or speckled sussex?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I am in North Dakota. This winter we hsd 52 inches of snow last I checked, and a few weeks where it was below -10F for weeks on end, not including wind chill. The temp wasn't to bad snow was annoying though.

My Cochins laid the best throughout, their large mass of feathers keeps them warmer and more productive, coming in a close second were the single comb Leghorns, temperature was milder then usual this year so not a single frostbite even with no Vaseline. Barred rocks and Wyandottes come in a third as I found they molted longer then the others.

Easter eggers unimpressed me the whole winter rarely if ever laid...


I only have one older chantecler hen but she laid pretty consistent.

All in all Cochins, Chanteclers, and leghrons were my best

That's considering MILD!?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I have 1 Barred Rock, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Easter Eggers and I love them all and would highly recommend them. My Barred Rock is very intelligent and personable but a bit bossy. The Australorps are bossy too. Both breeds can be bullies without enough space. The Orpingtons are somewhat middle/low of the pecking order, one is higher up than the others. But they are all food hogs and not afraid to charge in and eat most of the treats LOL

They are all good layers. My best are one EE, one or two Orps, and my Rock are laying right now. The Australorps are good too

 

[cmom]

I am a big fan of the Wyandottes, they are very pretty and lay reliably.
The sex links lay very large brown eggs the most regularly of all the breeds I have had.
Speckled Sussex are also great layers and pretty to look at.

Just want to say