Due to circumstances beyond my control...

[sheila3935]

I have barred rock naked necks and australorps all of which are good layers. The NN tend to be a little standoffish, but not to the point of not coming to you. The australorps can go broody and the NN. I dont have any sex links so not sure with those. I have white rocks but not old enough to lay but they are larger than the others. Big beautiful girls. I did buy a few crosses from Cackle this year they are austra whites and Delaware/new hamshire X curious to see how they do. I have wide variety of breeds just cause I like them and to see how they do.

 

[carolinasculpture]

HI! Just thought I'd chime in for fun...Our Barred Rock is currently our best layer and has the largest eggs, our Australorp was off chasing bugs when they were told they were supposed to be great layers, and our EE, is the sweetest of the bunch and lays rather well for an EE. So...good luck and have fun!

 

[rhs7111]

Since you had a buff orp (I love them) perhaps a buff standard Cochin would interest you? Similar coloring, similar temperament, albeit not as great for laying. As for EEs, if you get a chick with a pea comb, from a decent hatchery or breeder, the odds are actually in your favor for blue or blue/green eggs and friendly personality. I have yet to have an EE who doesn't lay plenty of blue or blue/green eggs (my EEs are among my best layers, frankly) and all of my EEs are friendly and sweet.

I've never had an EE lay a brown egg, and I've had plenty of EEs!

 

[AinaWGSD]

You should move Exchequer Leghorn down to the "fun and color" list. Mine lays 5-7 eggs a week, but they are small (1 1/2 oz). If you want med-jumbo eggs I'd pick a different breed. Maybe from a breeder they would lay larger eggs, but I believe mine came from Meyer so I wouldn't count on theirs to lay larger than a med. at best.

I've heard nothing but good things about australorps, so I think that would be a good choice for production. And it's hard to beat sex link layers for egg production, although they are probably going to "burn out" faster than other breeds since they are bred to maximize egg production in the first 2 years.

I do love my speckled sussex. They are very friendly, gregarious even. Always the first to come running when I step out the back door to see what goodies I might possibly be bringing them. They get along well with the other chickens and never seem to cause trouble. They are pretty decent layers too, 4-6 eggs a week so far from each of mine, although they are smaller than some might like (about 1 3/4 oz on average). I don't know how you feel about eating retired layers, but sussex are large birds and I imagine they would make good table birds. We call mine "the butterballs" because they are so round and after about 8 weeks they were so much bigger than the other breeds (SLW, Exchequer leghorn, easter eggers).

If you like the look of the columbian wyandotte you might consider light sussex. They have the columbian pattern and the awesome sussex personality.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I gotta give my Sussex their props. They are the sweetest chicks I have. The Barred Rocks are a very close second.
I don't have them yet, but they are coming in June, what about Blue Laced Red Wyandottes? I've heard a lot of good things about them.

 

[Uzuri]

Heheh, I knew if I posted here I'd get plenty of chatter

Looks like a lot of barred rock and sussex lovers out there. Believe it or not I had sussex peeps on the premises last year but I was starting them for a friend!

 

[doglady60]

I've got two Australorps and I can count on an egg from each of them almost every day. They are also extremely friendly and social. I highly recommend!

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Love my Australorps, Buff Orps, And SL Wyandottes, they are all good layers for me I get 4-5 eggs, from 6 chickens every day. I added a Light Sussex, and a Delaware for a nice contrast of color. The Delaware is a pretty reliable producer, and a great mouser. The Light Sussex is still too young, but very sweet, puffy, and absolutely beautiful!