Brown Egg Layers questions...

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

My only issue is that if I use say a Delaware male to use for a breeding program, then the babies wouldn't lay as well as the mothers...?




Wow thanks for that link Mac! Wonder if they sell to the public?

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
You are correct that those mixes will give you a red sex-link, but they will be nowhere near the performance of the commercial strains that have been bred for decades to be prolific egg layers. Each of those strains I listed have been worked on for decades and the grandparent and parent stocks are fairly closely held as the property of the companies that own the rights to propagate those strains.

Crossing breeds of unknown genetics will result in red sex-links, but not commercial layer stock.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Quote:
That answered my question perfectly! So I need to get my hands on some of those BOVANS BROWN... lol! Then breed those together without introducing anything else.

Do you know if that hatchery sells to the public? I didn't see anywhere on their website that said they did...?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Every hatchery you can think of sells red sex links that come from the major breeding stock of ISA/Hendrix/HyLine etc.

The ISA Browns can be purchased from TownLine hatchery. But again, every hatchery I know of has one of the strains. Cinnamon Queens, Gold Sexlink, Buffs from Meyers Hatchery, Red SexLinks by any other name from every major/minor hatchery. They call them different names. Some hatcheries sell two or three differing versions.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
You are correct that those mixes will give you a red sex-link, but they will be nowhere near the performance of the commercial strains that have been bred for decades to be prolific egg layers. Each of those strains I listed have been worked on for decades and the grandparent and parent stocks are fairly closely held as the property of the companies that own the rights to propagate those strains.

Crossing breeds of unknown genetics will result in red sex-links, but not commercial layer stock.

Absolutely correct.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Your best bet is to call the hatcheries in your area and ask what strains of commercial brown layers they may have available. Tell them you're not looking for generic red sex-links of unknown quality, but rather for small quantities of commercial layer stock. I'd also ask if they may have any leads on floor-raised pullet barns that may carry ready-to-lay pullets.

Pullet barns raise thousands of point-of-lay pullets under contract for various layer operations. They often place a certain percentage of chicks over and above what they need to account for mortalities. Sometimes the layer barns take the extras and sometimes they don't, leaving the pullet barns to sell small quantities on the side.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Fred's Hens :

Every hatchery you can think of sells red sex links that come from the major breeding stock of ISA/Hendrix/HyLine etc.

The ISA Browns can be purchased from TownLine hatchery. But again, every hatchery I know of has one of the strains. Cinnamon Queens, Gold Sexlink, Buffs from Meyers Hatchery, Red SexLinks by any other name from every major/minor hatchery. They call them different names. Some hatcheries sell two or three differing versions.

Right, but how do you know if you are getting just some random mix or one of the ISA lines... like on McMurray it specifically tells you "we mixed RIR with Delaware".... I want one of the TRUE commercial strains!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Many hatcheries are not forthright in information. TownLine sells bona fide ISA Browns. They don't hide the fact.
Moyers sells the Brown, Meyers sells the "Golden Buff". These are both commercial strains. I own them. I know. They are terrific layers and tend to have smaller combs, which I like, to enable cold hardiness up here.

I have also owned Townline's ISA Browns. Just sold off the last of my 2 year olds. Not good layers. Not great layers, but... Spectacular layers of huge brown eggs. That they have sweet personalities is just a bonus.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
While I did say that you can breed them, they don't breed true and the results will be varied. You may end up with prolific layers in the second generation or you may end up with duds. I don't know... It's worth a try, but in my opinion it's easier to start over and order chicks or pullets to replace your flock after two years, and sell off the old flock as stewing hens.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Fred's Hens :

Many hatcheries are not forthright in information. TownLine sells bona fide ISA Browns. They don't hide the fact.
Moyers sells the Brown, Meyers sells the "Golden Buff". These are both commercial strains. I own them. I know. They are terrific layers and tend to have smaller combs, which I like, to enable cold hardiness up here.

I have also owned Townline's ISA Browns. Just sold off the last of my 2 year olds. Not good layers. Not great layers, but... Spectacular layers of huge brown eggs. That they have sweet personalities is just a bonus.

That Golden Buff was one of the other ones I was looking at. So thats a commercial strain too?​