Favorite layer breeds

[Dairyguy100]

currently have Barred Rocks, RIR, NHR, and barnyard mixes. Looking to add some variety to my flock. Considering Black Sex-Links bc I like both the breeds they come from. Also looking at Leghorns, maybe Copper Marans, and buff Orpington or Cinnamon Queen. I am interested in clean leg varieties that can do well both free range or confined and are goods layers and potential good mothers. Any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[HuffleClaw]

My red sex links lay daily, they’re outgoing and by far my best foragers of the flock!
(All brown eggs belong to them )

 

[MissChick@dee]

Red sex links are awesome layers. Very nice personalities. Mine eat a lot! Chow hounds lol. A bigger statured bird.
Leghorns are tremendous layers. Smart & funny. Very small for the huge (xlg) eggs they lay. They are athletic and do not over eat.
For the biggest bang for your buck I’d vote leghorns every time. Best wishes

 

[sylviethecochin]

Australorps from good stock can often make good mothers. They are calm birds, somewhat noisy, and very good layers.
Leghorns are probably the most prolific layers.
Our red sexlinks all died young (within four years, usually within two. Great layers during their lives, but they went downhill fast.)
I do like my black sexlinks. And my single Austra white is a very nice bird thus far.

 

[MelissaRose]

I really liked the copper maran I had. She was my Favorite chicken. She was calm and gentle, good at free ranging, and layed good eggs.
I highly recommend copper marans.
Wyandottes are also good layers and come in many different colors/patterns.

 

[LilJoe]

If the marans you get lay really dark eggs, they won't lay a lot. From my experience with marans, the ones with lighter eggs lay the most.
They are good mothers though.

 

[mrskenmore]

I had a black sex link that had a great personality, but was very loud and never content. She also stopped laying at 2 years and died shortly thereafter due to EYP complications. I know each hen is different but have decided to shy away from sexlinks as I find the quality is poor since they are sexable at birth making them very desirable.

She was beautiful and was my flock leader with a bold personality though!