Does bird color relate to egg laying?

[Xtina]

I'm shopping for some chicks to brood this spring and I called a local farm store that said they carry silver-laced Wyandottes, but not gold-laced because the gold-laced aren't rated as being high production birds, but the silver-laced are. I'd never heard of such a thing and I wanted to check to see if people here thought this was accurate or not. Seems to me like bird color patterns shouldn't influence their laying, but I can also see that it's possible.

 

[gumbii]

IMO it does... my mille fleur OEGB's are great layers... i get at least 6 eggs a week when my other hens aren't laying any... but i don't have wyandottes, so i can't answer your questions...

 

[GardeNerd]

Quote:
I have read that out of the Wyandottes, silver laced are generally the most productive.

 

[Xtina]

Cool, thanks you guys!

 

[AinaWGSD]

Yes and no. Feather color does not directly affect egg production. However, genetics does affect egg production and it is not uncommon for the most productive strains of a given breed to be a particular color. In other words, the GLW may be less productive than SLW from the same source but it is due to the egg laying genes and not the color genes in those particular birds.

For example, white and brown leghorns are for all practical purposes equally productive colors, but the other colors of leghorn (exchequer, mille fleur, silver, etc) do not produce quite as many eggs or eggs that are quite as large because these colors have been primarily bred for show whereas white and brown have been largely bred for production. Yet in another breed one of the other colors may be a better layer than the white strains.

 

[Xtina]

Ah, that makes sense.

 

[RAREROO]

Yep, its not the feather color its self, its just that the Silver Laced variety is the most popular variety of Wyandottes so more emphasis has been put into breeding for the production of that variety/strain by hatcheries and such. So the actual color genetics has nothing to do with it, its just that that particular color was chosen to be bred for higher production. And its the same with most breeds like say Barred Rocks would probably be considered the most productive Rock variety becuase they are the most popular variety and have been worked with more. Same as say Buff Orpingtons, White Leghorns, ect.....

 

[Xtina]

Dang. I really like the gold ones more, but the store I'm going to (that has birds this early in the season) is only going to carry the silver-laced.

 

[rancher hicks]

Well I can tell you this, I've had both.

Whether a breed lays well depends on the "line" they are from. Doesn't matter. Show birds are bred to look pretty and may not lay as well as a bird of the same breed that is not a show bird. Feather production takes alot out of a chicken, but that's another story.

So what to do?

I keep a mixed flock, some of each. This way I get enough eggs and enough eye candy.

The first time I ordered directly from the hatchery because the feed store said I could not order 3 of this and 3 of that, even though it was the same hatchery. The hatchery on the other hand said sure what would you like? I got 8 different breeds just like I wanted.

Just keep looking until you find someone who will give you what your want.

Me? I "gave" away the SLW's and the Aussies cuz they got picked on alot and were bald. I still have the GLW's just cuz I like them and plan to separate them so they can grow back their feathers. They of course don't lay as well as some others I have, but they look nice.

Learn to know the chickens people in your area you may be able to find what you want there. Not all chickens in a breed are created equal.

Wish you the best

Rancher

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
X2