Heritage breeds: Longevity of Production

[Wanttoknow]

Hi Forum. I just found you and signed up. I am so happy to find a community such as this. I have kept chickens before in my life but not since I was a kid. I am now able to do so again and would like to learn how to do it properly. Other people's experience is cheaper than learning the lessons all over again...
My questions are:

Where can I find data about egg production through the chicken's life time?
(I had one chicken that lives 7 or 8 years but I don't think I got many eggs from her in the last few years.)

I live in western NJ and would like to select a variety(s) that are cold hardy. The area I have in mind will allow for a good shelter but I will not (immediately) have power there and so heating in winter will be difficult. I will be able to improvise in extreme weather. Some advice on this point would be useful.




I can't wait to get started!!

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Hi, Welcome to the forum!

I can't think of an information source with data on egg laying at the moment, but I will keep that in mind. By age 7 or 8 years of course the laying will slow down for all breeds. But you do occasionally hear about the 5-year-old who still lays several eggs a week. Heritage breeds tend to lay longer but less per week than production breeds who lay A LOT the first year or so but can then have health issues involving laying after a couple of years. If you look at the breed descriptions for many hatcheries, you might shoot for breeds that lay an average of 4-5 eggs per week perhaps if the goal is longevity over total eggs per week for a couple of years. Those breed descriptions on the hatchery sites tend to have info on cold tolerance as well. Actually, most breeds of chickens are pretty cold tolerant. I might avoid naked necks, Silkes and Frizzles and various Mediterranean breeds in cold climates.

Plymouth Rocks and Australorps are both good producers of brown eggs who do fine in our coop that is usually unheated.

 

[JRsMom]

I have blue orpingtons, they are very cold hardy, survived the last 2 Wisconsin winters just fine with no heat. They are 2 yrs old and I'm still getting an egg a day from both of them (when Daisy isn't broody that is They are calm friendly hens although I can't say the same for the rooster.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

The Buff Orpingtons I have had may have laid a bit less than your Blue Orps. 200 eggs per year is considered typical according to one hatchery, which sounds about right for my Orps for the first couple of years, and they still laid pretty well their third year as well. They are very cold hardy of course, and even my Orp roosters were friendly, but the roosters got a bit of frost bite on the combs in the winter.

 

[Wanttoknow]

All good and useful advice. I will look to local sources to decide on what breed(s) I select. It is such a comfort to have this forum available to me. I will keep tidy records of my flock and post the results. Perhaps it will be useful to someone.