Chicken Breed??

[MeanV2]

Okay! I am getting ready to start a small flock of Brown Egg layers with a total of 15 Hens. I am fairly certain I want 5 red Sex Links but the other 10 spots are up for grab. I was thinking 5 each of 2 more breeds but not sure what would be best. Here are a few I have been thinking about.
1. Rhode Island Reds
2. Barred Rock
3. Silver Laced Wyandotte
4. Black Australorps
5. Black Sex Links

If I have missed any breeds I should consider please bring them to my attention. I live in Southern IL to give you an idea of the climate they will be in. Egg production is nice but as long as they are fairly steady layers I would readily consider them.

Thanks for Everyone's help in advance!!

Dan

 

[lahowardjr]

I would also consider Buff Orphingtons as a good brown egg layer. I have them and the chicks are not expensive and easy to get. They are easy to tend to and docile. I also like your inclusion of Barr Rocks and Black Australorps. Also very good brown egg layers. The Australorp has the "egg record" with 364 eggs in 365 days.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'd get Black Sex Link. For large eggs and excellent production you can't go wrong with sex links. Our own Blacks outperformed the Reds. Then just for uniformity of egg size if your planning on selling them might as well go with RIR. Hatchery RIR's are what's called production reds. Those three production lines have the same extra large egg size, the blacks having slightly lighter brown but all same size eggs.

Australorps would be another good one but egg size along with Rocks and Orpingtons will be smaller than the above mentioned birds. Though these three also have same size, medium to large, and coloring for uniformity in eggs.

 

[ladytoysdream]

My flock is mainly brown egg layers.
We have buff orpingtons, delawares, and red sex link hens. My starting birds were pure and now I have daughters from them. The rooster under my user id is my head rooster and dad to most of my younger birds.
I recently added some black sex links, red wyandottes, silver wyandottes. I have been very happy with the orpingtons, delawares and red sex links. Production is good, easy to handle, and winter hardy.

I also have a few green and blue egg layers.
None lay white.

I like to see different colors in the egg cartons

 

[MeanV2]

I Love hearing what everyone has and how they have done. If you read this please contribute! It is great reading and hopefully will benefit others that may be at the same stage I am. Looking forward to more posts!

Dan

 

[MeanV2]

Hoping to get more input on this thread. What about Delawares?

Dan

 

[ladytoysdream]

Not sure how quick you read through my earlier post.

I have quite a few Delawares and I like them. Hardy, big brown eggs and good personalities.

 

[MeanV2]

Thanks for the details on the Delawares. I think I just need to jump in and order some and quit second guessing myself. I have thought of even orderin pairs of several breeds to get up to 15.

Decisions! Decisions!

Dan

 

[ladytoysdream]

Wyandottes come in different colors. I have 2 colors. I still want a few of the golden ones.

I only wanted a dozen birds when I first started. Then it got closer to 20. Then 29 and I thought I was full house.
Then the last 16 that I could not turn my back on, and that gave me the colors I did not have.

So I have hens that are white, buffs, reds, blacks, black/white, red/white, brown, and ameracauna colors.

My starting flock was orpingtons. It was a good choice. Then the Delawares came along. Another good choice.

If you are having a small flock, only one rooster, unless you have room to separate them.
Too many roosters raise havoc with the hens.

I have 2 roosters with 45 hens and my head rooster still does NOT want to share with another rooster.
I keep telling him,, he is good, but not THAT good. Silly old boy that he is.