Most of the birds you order from a hatchery are not BLRW..they are representatives of the breeds you order. They could be a combination of many different types of birds. I have yet to see the red on any birds from a hatchery. So that means any information about BLRW might not pertain to your bird. Your bird will be unique in its own right. Egg production of an individual hen is dependent on such other factors as age, health, nutrition, space, housing, sanitation, light, humidity, temperature, and where you live. Egg production is only partly influenced by the breed of hen, but Wyandotte's are considered a good laying hens that will lay up to 4 eggs per week on average. This is variable depending on time of year, nutrition, and lighting conditions. My hens start to lay around 7 months of age and lay an average of 5 eggs a week as pullets, than 3-4 eggs a week after a year or two. My BLRW seem to lay less than my other dotties after the first year. I also have BLRW in moult and not laying. It takes a solid 6-8 weeks in some birds to get over moult. My dotties lay all winter...I have a Cuckoo Marans on the other hand who is a poor layer and other Marans who are great layers so it is not always breed specific. Hatchery birds tend to lay sooner and lay more eggs, so they have benefits.
I don't really know why they stopped. They didn't get that much of a move. No new birds or new roo......
