Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Miss Lydia]

I've had them here and there also and was never impressed with their laying abilities. I think "lay well" is a relative term for most folks, depending on the breeds they may have or have had experience with. To me, a chicken that is an excellent layer is one that puts out an egg every single day in peak laying months and slows down a little during the slow times but never really quits. As they age this can change a little but I still expect an egg every day or every other day in peak seasons with older birds.

Laying well, to me, is a bird that at least lays 5 days out of 7 during peak laying months. I've never had an EE that layed past maybe 15-18 eggs per month.

Well I can't argue with you Bee since mine are still young.

 

[Mountain Momma]

I've had them here and there also and was never impressed with their laying abilities. I think "lay well" is a relative term for most folks, depending on the breeds they may have or have had experience with. To me, a chicken that is an excellent layer is one that puts out an egg every single day in peak laying months and slows down a little during the slow times but never really quits. As they age this can change a little but I still expect an egg every day or every other day in peak seasons with older birds.

Laying well, to me, is a bird that at least lays 5 days out of 7 during peak laying months. I've never had an EE that layed past maybe 15-18 eggs per month.

Yeah, I agree. The EE/Americauna that I have are beautiful but I get 2 blue eggs a day from 4 of them. They were late to lay, over 25 weeks, and they are more wild than all of the others. My Austrolps are also late layers and I dont know if they are laying every day i cannot tell. I have 3 of them and they are very pretty and look like Spanish princesses. But they are just now getting size and confidence among the flock. They were born about a month after Easter this year. They are very peaceful though, all of them. The EE would rather walk away than argue. The Astrolps never cause a scuffle but eat sooner than the EE, but they are also bigger and garner more respect with their combs as well. I think the EE get treated like chicks bcause their combs are tiny.

 

[Beekissed]

So funny! Comb envy.....

 

[haemony]

Comb size matters! Well. I don't know but it seems to be a factor. My Welsummer is Queen. She has by far the biggest comb. She also grew spurs. A formidable bird.

My definition of "lay well' is the same. BR and PR hens lay five to 6 eggs a week. Welsummer and Australorp 4 to 5. EEs trail behind with 0 to 3 except the one EE who thinks she is a Barred Rock, follows them around, tries to talk like them. She usually lays 6 a week so they are capable of laying more frequently. I just don't have any that do except the one. These are birds of about a year to year and a half and in their prime. I'm not counting the pullets and the older hens in my assessment. I keep birds who do not lay at all. Those are on my composting/tilling team.

The Australorps have a quiet even temperament and are kind of do de do slow. They seem docile but they get their share of feed and treats.

 

[Beekissed]

Never known comb size to matter for any chicken in my flocks. Not even for the roosters. Y'all are imagining things!

Comb type and size are usually a breed specific quality. I've never had one hen more dominant than any of my other hens, regardless of comb size. Same with roosters....comb size doesn't determine dominance.

All you menfolk can breathe a sigh of relief.....

 

[haemony]

Ha! I imagine things all the time. I have an over active imagination. So do chickens, especially the chickens with big combs I think.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Dorking roosters are very easy going and nice to have around, kind to their hens. I've only had one get aggressive in 7 years of having them.

My oldest mutt hen, that died this past year, laid blue eggs. I had a hatchery AM/EE rooster in 1999 and she was one of his offspring-born sometime between then and 2004. So I guess you could call her an EE. She laid an egg every other day or so, except when molting, for years. She was still producing eggs until last year. She was at least 8 years old, maybe older. She was a small hen, nothing fancy, but I was impressed with her.

 

[Beekissed]

She was very beautiful!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Dorking roosters are very easy going and nice to have around, kind to their hens. I've only had one get aggressive in 7 years of having them.

My oldest mutt hen, that died this past year, laid blue eggs. I had a hatchery AM/EE rooster in 1999 and she was one of his offspring-born sometime between then and 2004. So I guess you could call her an EE. She laid an egg every other day or so, except when molting, for years. She was still producing eggs until last year. She was at least 8 years old, maybe older. She was a small hen, nothing fancy, but I was impressed with her.

Very pretty.

 

[Pozees]

Dorking roosters are very easy going and nice to have around, kind to their hens. I've only had one get aggressive in 7 years of having them.

My oldest mutt hen, that died this past year, laid blue eggs. I had a hatchery AM/EE rooster in 1999 and she was one of his offspring-born sometime between then and 2004. So I guess you could call her an EE. She laid an egg every other day or so, except when molting, for years. She was still producing eggs until last year. She was at least 8 years old, maybe older. She was a small hen, nothing fancy, but I was impressed with her.

I think she is lovely, but I'm partial to blue I am glad to see Dorking roos are gentle. I'm thinking of getting some Dorking chicks next spring, is there anything unusual about raising them that you care to share?