Do you have Easter Eggers from Ideal Poultry and how well do they lay?

[Debbie09011970]

I am looking at Easter Egger pullets from Ideal Poultry. The internet says Easter Eggers lay 200-250 eggs per year (this depends on which article you read). However, Ideal Poultry says they lay 160 eggs per year on their website. This doesn't seem like much and I was wondering if any of you have purchased Easter Eggers from Ideal and how many eggs they laid.

 

[Percheron chick]

160 eggs a year is 3-4 a week. That's an honest representation of the EEs I have gotten from Ideal. Blue egg layers, Ameraucana, Araucana and legbars used predominantly in green egg layers tend to all fall in the medium laying rate. The unknown is the brown egg genetics. Was it a one a day sexlink or was it a heritage breed? I have had EEs from multiple sources including my own over the years and have never had a 5-6/week layer. Don't forget that they will not lay 2-3 months a year so that drops your potential egg days to 270-300.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I bought 21 Easter egger pullet (and 3 cockerel) chicks from Ideal 7+ years ago in 2015. (I bought them thinking they were Ameraucanas as advertised.) Each day during their first year of laying I got 18-20 eggs from them like clockwork, with rare days 17 eggs or 21 eggs. Their eggs were small the first year, but gained size after each annual molt. About 2/3 laid blue and 1/3 laid green. They annually completely quit laying during the shorter day winter months, but resume again each February. The original EEs don't lay much anymore, but when they do their eggs are jumbo.

Also, several went broody at 7-8 months of age. I still have most of those original 21 EEs, and all but 3 have since gone broody and raised chicks at some point in their lives.

My experience with Ideal hatchery Easter Eggers seems to be different than many others. The only reason I never bought any more EEs from Ideal or any other hatchery is because not only did the original Ideal pullets/hens go broody and raise chicks, but so have their daughters, granddaughters, great grandaughters, etc. The ensuing generations have continued to have an excellent lay rate. The originals are still going broody annually, including this past spring/summer.

I wouldn't have been impressed if they only lay 160 eggs per year, especially since that lay rate would be for their first year of laying. It's possible that Ideal's EE lay rate has decreased over the past several years idk. Even though I was initially disappointed that they were not true Ameraucanas, in hindsight I couldn't have been happier wirh my Ideal EEs.

 

[aldarita]

I have gotten EEs (pullets) from Ideal about four times (three or 4 at a time). I love them because they are very friendly and, in my case, none of them has gone broody. About the number of eggs they lay, it has varied. They lay about 3 or 4 eggs per week at the beginning but as they get older, I have been getting 1 or 2 per week. Of course, my girls are old (the oldest is 5 yo and the youngest is 4). I hope this helps

 

[Debbie09011970]

I bought 21 Easter egger pullet (and 3 cockerel) chicks from Ideal 7+ years ago in 2015. (I bought them thinking they were Ameraucanas as advertised.) Each day during their first year of laying I got 18-20 eggs from them like clockwork, with rare days 17 eggs or 21 eggs. Their eggs were small the first year, but gained size after each annual molt. About 2/3 laid blue and 1/3 laid green. They annually completely quit laying during the shorter day winter months, but resume again each February. The original EEs don't lay much anymore, but when they do their eggs are jumbo.

Also, several went broody at 7-8 months of age. I still have most of those original 21 EEs, and all but 3 have since gone broody and raised chicks at some point in their lives.

My experience with Ideal hatchery Easter Eggers seems to be different than many others. The only reason I never bought any more EEs from Ideal or any other hatchery is because not only did the original Ideal pullets/hens go broody and raise chicks, but so have their daughters, granddaughters, great grandaughters, etc. The ensuing generations have continued to have an excellent lay rate. The originals are still going broody annually, including this past spring/summer.

I wouldn't have been impressed if they only lay 160 eggs per year, especially since that lay rate would be for their first year of laying. It's possible that Ideal's EE lay rate has decreased over the past several years idk. Even though I was initially disappointed that they were not true Ameraucanas, in hindsight I couldn't have been happier wirh my Ideal EEs.

I'm so jealous. I would love my birds to do that.