Egg laying, non flying, breeds

[Clearwater Chicken]

Breed suggestions for chickens that don't fly and are good egg layers for chicks this year?

Please help

 

[MaryZoe]

High production layers tend to be lean, therefore fly pretty well. Heavier breeds tend to fly less .... once full grown. My Black Jersey Giants don’t fly at all, but they are huge, and not great layers.

For an all-around good layer that is a larger breed that may not be much of a flyer is Buff Orpington. However, I haven’t had these yet (picking up some of them in a couple of weeks), but the small hatchery I am purchasing from said they are one of their best layer (of the non-production breeds).

Buff Orpington are great chickens. Heavy and good layers of beautiful eggs. Highly recommended. Get some good quality chix from a breeder if you can. They are beautiful birds.

 

[DobieLover]

Breed suggestions for chickens that don't fly and are good egg layers for chicks this year?

Please help

Most good egg layers can fly to some extent. Silkies don't fly but they also don't lay well.
May I ask what the concern is with flying?

 

[Acre4Me]

High production layers tend to be lean, therefore fly pretty well. Heavier breeds tend to fly less .... once full grown. My Black Jersey Giants don’t fly at all, but they are huge, and not great layers.

For an all-around good layer that is a larger breed that may not be much of a flyer is Buff Orpington. However, I haven’t had these yet (picking up some of them in a couple of weeks), but the small hatchery I am purchasing from said they are one of their best layer (of the non-production breeds).

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My Buff Orps laid eggs for about three weeks their first spring, then went broody. That meant they did not produce eggs pretty much the rest of that summer, first because they sat on the eggs for three weeks to hatch them, then spent several weeks nurturing their chicks. Also, we clipped their wings to keep them out of the garden. Chickens are birds. Birds fly. Their second year they were much more productive and had either gotten out of the habit of flying or had gotten too heavy to try. We also pretty much gave up on gardening because of my health. I don't find Orps to be as productive as EEs and won't have them again. I agree that wing clipping or better fences are good suggestions.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have had many Australorp over the years. None were good at flying. Jumping over short fences up to about 3 feet yes but not flying. Do I think they could clear a 6 foot fence....no.

 

[MaryZoe]

They scratch up the garden and lay in the neighbors yard

Hahaha! Every chicken I've ever kept scratches up the garden and lays in the neighbor's yard! Fences help a lot.

 

[MaryZoe]

Breed suggestions for chickens that don't fly and are good egg layers for chicks this year?

Please help

Marans are also heavy breeds that fly very little. They also lay gorgeous dark brown eggs. Not super proficient layers, but good enough.

 

[Clearwater Chicken]

They scratch up the garden and lay in the neighbors yard

 

[Gray Farms]

99% of chickens can fly. Unless you go with Silkies "which are poor layers" your going to have to have a covered pen or clip wings.