I need some advice on egg laying breeds ?

[BaylieBugg]

I am a first time chicken ... Hobbiest ? I'm sorry if I don't have the hang of any lingo yet . My husband and I are going to purchase some chicks from the feed store but they only have two options for egg laying.

New Hampshire Reds
And
Partridge Rocks

Seeing as I know next to nothing about chickens yet I'm not sure which to go with, we are looking at 4 hens so I'm not sure if we should go with 2 of each to see which we like better or if it's better to get all the same.

Does anyone have any personal experience with either breed ? Or have any insight they could share with me? It would be greatly appreciated !!!

Also I'm in Southern California if location makes a difference.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Both are good breeds. I like a mixed flock for variety of color.
You may want to look at the info here.
http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html#new

Feed stores aren't always the best at identifying them. Make sure they're New Hampshire Reds (the only color they come in) rather than Rhode Island Reds which are great layers but IMHO tend to be the bullies of a mixed flock.

Your location definitely does matter and good for you for thinking so.
Climate is the first thing to consider when picking breeds. Both of those breeds are very cold hardy so your big concern will be summer heat. Make sure they have lots of shade.
Chickens handle cold very well, heat not so much. What are your summer temps?

Oh, and welcome to BYC.

 

[GOLDENSEABRIGHT]

Yes they're both great breeds but I prefer rhode island reds and americuanas.

 

[BaylieBugg]

Both are good breeds. I like a mixed flock for variety of color.
You may want to look at the info here.
http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html#new

Feed stores aren't always the best at identifying them. Make sure they're New Hampshire Reds (the only color they come in) rather than Rhode Island Reds which are great layers but IMHO tend to be the bullies of a mixed flock.

Your location definitely does matter and good for you for thinking so.
Climate is the first thing to consider when picking breeds. Both of those breeds are very cold hardy so your big concern will be summer heat. Make sure they have lots of shade.
Chickens handle cold very well, heat not so much. What are your summer temps?

Oh, and welcome to BYC.

Thank you! We just recently moved here from Las Vegas but I'm told it's pretty similar heat so it should hit at most 120 in the summer. But we are in the desert and so we have very little natural foliage for shade. I guess I should figure that out as well now. For some reason I assumed chickens wouldn't mind heat as much as the cold. Silly me. Thank you for bringing that to my attention!

 

[holm25]

AUSTALORPS AND WELSUMMERS

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The OP said the feed store only had 2 options.