Illinois...

[Molpet]

A BIG thank you to my friend, @Molpet, for her kindness, generosity, expertise, and help today. I could not have processed all those birds without her.

Glad I could help and the weather cooperated.

 

[Justso]

Hmmm, guess I need to add a couple of production hens to the flock. What are the ones that are laying best for you?

I have a silverrud and an Arkansas Blue. Both look like variations of a leghorn. Inga the silverrud has laid like clockwork all year, just a short break during her light molt. Lovie had a heavy molt this year, she just started back up.
If anyone is interested in hatching eggs, let me know. I have two AB roos and fertile eggs.

 

[BReeder!]

Hmmm, guess I need to add a couple of production hens to the flock. What are the ones that are laying best for you?

Leghorns are good layers. I have a brown leghorn that does a good job. We get a lot of eggs from our Speckled Sussex and Gold Laced Wyandotte too. Also, my Orpingtons from @Faraday40 always laid/lay well. Now that it's cold out here, most of the birds all stopped laying (except the ducks oddly enough. We can talk ducks if you're interested. ). I provide light in the coop to extend the daylight hours and ensure they can see in there until they are settled into the roosts for the night, but the cold still stops their laying. I'm fine with this though. We do get a few eggs here and there still and will have plenty again come Spring and Summer.

 

[Faraday40]

Leghorns are good layers. I have a brown leghorn that does a good job. We get a lot of eggs from our Speckled Sussex and Gold Laced Wyandotte too. Also, my Orpingtons from @Faraday40 always laid/lay well. Now that it's cold out here, most of the birds all stopped laying (except the ducks oddly enough. We can talk ducks if you're interested. ). I provide light in the coop to extend the daylight hours and ensure they can see in there until they are settled into the roosts for the night, but the cold still stops their laying. I'm fine with this though. We do get a few eggs here and there still and will have plenty again come Spring and Summer.

Young Orps lay through the 1st winter, but often they tend to slow down or stop for a couple months like the others. Orps are not as efficient because they're big, so eat and poop more (especially my giant, fat English orps!) ..... but they can be calm, gentle, friendly, gorgeous, cuddle-pets

My leghorns are egg machines year round..... for 2-3 years. They do burn out and drastically drop in production sometime after 2 years. I had a Rhode Island Red (hatchery quality) and a RIR hybrid that were the same as the leghorns in production

The orps however, keep producing at a good level for years. My 3-4 year old orps still give 3-5 eggs/week when laying.

Edit to add: I have a 9 year old hen that still lays 3 eggs per week. Her cycle shortens each year. This year her laying season was only 5 months. Yet, for such an old hen, I think that's awesome.

 

[User105877]

Buckeye hen is still laying strong. 6 eggs a week. Last hatch of the year just started.

 

[User105877]

5 out of seven hatched.

 

[Justso]

5 out of seven hatched.

I love buckeyes. I had some few years back, I ended up giving them away to a 4-H'r who went on to win in their county fair. I hope they went ahead and bred them.
From that same hatching I had a couple extra roosters and my neighbor processed them. Best chicken soup I've ever tasted.

 

[User105877]

They have quickly became my favorite"dual purpose" breed. Can't say we have actually butchered any though.

 

[Justso]

I recently resisted all temptations to set my incubator. Those darn contests on Byc get me all riled up. I've decided I am going to sit on my hands until spring. Do you think Valentine's is too early?

 

[BReeder!]

DS has swollen tonsils. Riding through the night with motrin and getting to the doc at 9am tomorrow. He's 5. I was about that age when my tonsils were removed. DW had hers removed as a kid too. I just made changes to our health insurance last month, and now I might be wishing I kept it at the higher premium. Still PPO coverage, but now on an alternative plan that's a lower premium but deductible has to be met before coverage is provided. We expected to hit the deductible, but not until April. Hoping surgery isn't in his future and it's just a script for antibiotics and he gets all better soon.