Best winter layers?

[UrbanEnthusiast]

If I were looking for a lightweight heritage breed that laid the most through short winter days - without a light - what would I pick? Or is that even feasible?

 

[chicklover3]

Australorp, Barred Rock, Marans, Jersey Giants, Buckeye, Brahama, Buff Orpington, Wyandotte, Delawares.. Hope this helps

 

[3riverschick]

If I were looking for a heritage breed that laid the most through short winter days - without a light - what would I pick?

The Sussex, if hatched in March, is a wonderful winter layer. It is one of the hallmarks of the breed. This is because the breed needed to lay eggs which hatched in early Spring so the chicks could be fattened for Derby Day dinners.
Best,
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[ejb3810]

Chantecler. This breed developed in Canada with winter lay rate as a primary criteria. If you can locate birds from the original lines winter lay rate is unsurpassed.

 

[aoxa]

Chantecler. This breed developed in Canada with winter lay rate as a primary criteria. If you can locate birds from the original lines winter lay rate is unsurpassed.

 

The ONLY breed developed in Canada! They are relatively easy to find here.

I would suggest RSL. My girls laid right through winter, and I am in Canada. They are TOUGH! At least the ones here are

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I actually prefer lightweight breeds and have edited the OP to reflect that. I understand that it may not be feasible, but I'm definitely going to ask around!

 

[aoxa]

What do you mean by light weight? A bantam or a small standard? What colour of eggs?

White: Try Silver Spangled Hamburg. They definitely lay really well. My mix of SSH and Polish laid right through winter. Her and my Red Sex Link were the only two that did, but this was before my barred rock started too...

A RSL is very light weight by the way.

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

What do you mean by light weight? A bantam or a small standard? What colour of eggs?
White: Try Silver Spangled Hamburg. They definitely lay really well. My mix of SSH and Polish laid right through winter. Her and my Red Sex Link were the only two that did, but this was before my barred rock started too...
A RSL is very light weight by the way.

Don't care about color of eggs, but I am looking for flightiness to escape predators and a good feed conversion. Size of egg matters. Small eggs are OK but only if they are laying at least four or five per week through the winter.

 

[aoxa]

Don't care about color of eggs, but I am looking for flightiness to escape predators and a good feed conversion.

Silver Spangled Hamburgs are VERY flighty. They are great fliers, and very lean.

I also find them very aesthetically pleasing

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Hamb/BRKHamburg.html

 

[tiki244]

I vote for barred Plymouth Rocks. The ones I have lay all winter.

And they have a pretty good temperment toOPS I guess they are not lightweight. But they do range well and never had any eaten by a predator.