great egg layers

[chicken farmer 1997]

which breed is the best egg layer out of red sex link, black sexlink, or red star sex link. or any other great egg layers.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

My very first girl that laid for me was a black sex link. She was just 18 weeks old! She's laid every single day since then. A nice sized brown (and most are double yolk)

After her was a Barred Rock and a Production Red. Those are my only layers at the moment, mine are just approaching the age.

 

[chicken farmer 1997]

what hatchery did you buy them from?

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Hi chicken farmer 1997,

Love this question, and looking forward to the final answer.

If you are thinking about getting sex link, also consider the gold sex link or 'golden Comet'. The one I have has been a really prolific egg layer, and her eggs are sized either Jumbo or Extra Large. Like clockwork everyday, she goes in and produces her egg. I'm awestruck. (I refer to the egg layers page on efowl.com because they give a really clear explanation of the parentage - illustration of the chicks and the adults). At one time I thought RSL was all the same, but their explanation is different.

you can see my GSL, the current consecutive egg tally for the current clutch, and on the 'charts and quotes' page the ounces of the egg categories if you check the 'charts and quotes' page on my BYC page. No wonder people nick-name the SL 'egg-laying machines'. They are pretty amazing.

Add to that that she is friendly and a good forager -- off on bug patrol while my others are checking to see what hand out I have (when I don't have one). If you are in the market of good layer, don't forget to check out Golden Comet.

 

[turney31]

My best layers are Missouri super egg laying machine #365. They lay large white eggs. They are a white hen about 4#. Great feed to egg conversion. Mine are 18 mo old. I can count on 1 hand the times between the 3 of them that they have missed an egg day. You can purchase them at Marti Poultry, I love these hens and will always keep them in my flock.

I am looking for a brown egg layer that can lay like them and so far I have not found any that even come close. I think I will try ISA browns next...

 

[yoie]

My best egg layer is my TetraTint, and it is a nice sized brown egg with white speckles. I wish I bought more than one at TSC when them had them. If I only knew

She has not skipped a day yet of laying, even in our 100+ degree weather! Now my red sexlink hen only lays every other day, and sometimes not even that,not impressed at all and her eggs aren't as big as the TetraTints! Will be looking for more of these next year at TSC during the chick days!

 

[dianaross77]

I recommend Isa Browns. They are sex-links and were bred and developed for commercial egg production. Mine lay an egg everyday, even in the heat wave. They are pretty quiet and have tolerated the heat really well and the confinement of their temporary coop and run. Townline hatchery is the only place you can get them, or a TSC that orders from there. I got mine from TSC.

 

[ChickiKat]

My BR is a great egger, she gives me consistantly one a day even in this heat.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
All that you have mentioned are excellent layers. Sex links are bred for laying over 300 eggs a year of large brown eggs.

 

[briteday]

I vote for sexlinks, prefer the reds vs blacks for temperament. However, not all sexlinks are created equal. I had ISA's from Townline last year. Some started laying at 16 weeks, all were laying by 20 weeks. They lay very well through hot and cold extremes. But I didn't find them to be good foragers but they are very thrifty to feed as they are not dual purpose, therefore not large-bodied. This year I have RSL's from Ideal. Going on 21 weeks and not an egg in sight yet.

Also, I found an interesting feed result with the ISA's...if you increase the protein in the diet (anything above the 16-18% layer feed) by mixing in some gamebird or turkey feed...you get GINORMOUS eggs that will not fit in any egg carton unless you find some for ostrich eggs! However, these will not have multiple yolks, just lots of whites.