Chicken breeds for laying

[1cshook]

A friend of mine has had excellent luck in Production Red hens for being consistent layers. I, on the other hand, went with "fancy" hens first time around … they would lay ONLY when the weather conditions were perfect!!! Not too hot, not too cold, not too dry, not too wet. I am planning to replace them early spring. Any other suggestions for good laying hens, minimal molting breeds? The Production Reds also seldom went thru a molting stage. I am interested in hens for egg laying purposes only. thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What are your "fancy" breeds?

With your enthusiasm about your friend's Production Reds, it sounds like those are what you want. You can probably find chicks at your local feed store in the spring or you can order them from a hatchery.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Let's get molting out of the way first. All chickens will molt in their second and subsequent autumns. Some breeds that hatch very early in the year will molt their first autumn.
They have to do it and there aren't chickens that don't molt 'much'.
Sex links are very productive. For the most productive breeds, considering that each bird is an individual, choose in the following order:
Leghorns
Rhode Island Reds
Australorps
Dominiques
Minorcas
And most other Mediterranean breeds like Andalusians, Anconas, Penedesencas, Catalanas, Spanish, etc.
Redcaps
Delawares
Faverolles
Jaerhons
New Hampshires
Sussex
Some lines of Polish
Any of those breeds will provide you with lots of breakfast, quiche, fritatas, etc.

Ornamental/fancy breeds aren't known for converting feed to eggs efficiently.

 

[BY Bob]

I definately reccomend Leghorns. I had a white leghorn once lay 360 eggs in one year. In my experience they are prone to reproductive issues starting around year 3 but up until then they are great layers and don't require a lot of feed

 

[GC-Raptor]

My first Flock consists of 5 Golden Comets (a Red sex-links), I got as day old chicks from a local farm and feed March 2016. All were laying at 19 weeks.
The first year I averaged 32/35 eggs a week right through winter.
Second year 25/30 right through winter. Molt was miner and they continued to lay.
I lost two around 2 years, one egg bound and the other to unknown illness.
I still have 3, one hasn't laid since last May. Two are laying. One just started after a molt, a 3 month break from laying. The third hen started to molt last month but is still laying. The 2 Comets laying gave me 9 eggs the last 7 days.
My second Flock consists of 7 Barred Rocks, I got from TSC last August. All were laying at 23 weeks and they were 6 months old yesterday.
I am impressed with their laying. Saturday through Friday, I got 43 eggs. Three of them days I got 7 eggs, Saturday, Wednesday and Friday. .
I have no long term egg laying performance for Barred Rocks, but I am blown away so far. . I feed a 18/20% feed to all. GC
ETA; I add light at 5 am.