INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Indyshent]

Whats a good chicken that lays a lot in the winter? Also what chicken is almost broody all the time? I want chickens for winter egg collection, and also egg hatcher's to hatch my Muscovy eggs come spring.
What chicken starts laying the earliest?

Winter layers: any spring pullets, and birds of heavy, heavily feathered breeds (esp Cochin, Brahma, Faverolle). I've heard Jersey Giants lay pretty well through winter, but all of my JGs have turned out to be basically Australorps.

Broodies: advertise for individuals because lots of people want to get rid of frequent broodies. As for breeds which are prone (not guaranteed) to broodiness: Games, Silkies, Cochins. All of my Marans and half-Marans hens have gone broody at least once, generally at least once a year. I had a Black Swedish duck that spent like eight months in ten on a nest. Some Australorps and Orpingtons do it all the time, but I've never seen it (not with hatchery stock, in other words). Welsummers have been half and half for me, with some brooding twice a year and the others never setting. I've seen some determined broody Brahmas, too, but they have a lot of Cochin blood.

Early layers tend to have short laying lives (and generally short lifespans as prolapse or egg-binding seem to kill them eventually). Early laying breeds will generally have a high industrial content--ISA, RSL, White Leghorns, BSL, but especially Leghorns. I've seen WL lay at 4 months.

You won't find all of those characteristics in one breed.

 

[Nyla]

Very true. I just found a person who will sell me 4 dozen hatching eggs for $30. Is this cheap? They have pure bred chickens but I don't think they keep them separated. So all chicks hatched will be mixes. Which is completely fine with me. I'm still going to buy a lot of chicks from fellow BYC members come spring. And also hatching eggs.
My nephews teacher chose to move the class hatching project to spring time for better options of eggs.

Winter layers: any spring pullets, and birds of heavy, heavily feathered breeds (esp Cochin, Brahma, Faverolle). I've heard Jersey Giants lay pretty well through winter, but all of my JGs have turned out to be basically Australorps.

Broodies: advertise for individuals because lots of people want to get rid of frequent broodies. As for breeds which are prone (not guaranteed) to broodiness: Games, Silkies, Cochins. All of my Marans and half-Marans hens have gone broody at least once, generally at least once a year. I had a Black Swedish duck that spent like eight months in ten on a nest. Some Australorps and Orpingtons do it all the time, but I've never seen it (not with hatchery stock, in other words). Welsummers have been half and half for me, with some brooding twice a year and the others never setting. I've seen some determined broody Brahmas, too, but they have a lot of Cochin blood.

Early layers tend to have short laying lives (and generally short lifespans as prolapse or egg-binding seem to kill them eventually). Early laying breeds will generally have a high industrial content--ISA, RSL, White Leghorns, BSL, but especially Leghorns. I've seen WL lay at 4 months.

You won't find all of those characteristics in one breed.

 

[Indyshent]

If I was closer, I'd gladly have donated hatching eggs for a project. They'd've been ***INCREDI-BYM's*** (TM) (R) because I don't currently even have the capacity to yield a pure bred chicken from any eggs right now *and* my dominant roo is a many-generation certified mutt... but he's a handsome mutt with some pleasant egg genes and a certified non-aggressive disposition. Other possible dads include five silkies, and a SL Polish. Mom's include a silkie, an Australorp that might be a Jersey Giant, a blue copper Marans, a Marans/Ameraucana OE, and a BO. By spring, I'll have a scad of new layers including a bunch of likely OE, Leghorn crosses, and barred Rocks, but these guys are going to be going into breeding pens for the Superbird project.

I don't advise hatching now because of gnarly temps and the resultant chicks being useless to you til POL anyway. You are getter off buying grown girls for eggs now. If you insist on hatching, I wouldn't pay more for "hatching eggs" than "eating eggs" from anyone who's selling BYM or simply hasn't separated breeds and keeps a rooster with the girls. Paying more doesn't make them any more hatchable.

 

[Nyla]

What's POL stand for? Sadly there isn't any laying hens for sale near me besides 2+ years old and wanting $20-30 per hen. Would you ship eggs? I'd love to buy some from you if possible! I actually wouldn't mind hatching some chicks my self anyways. I really miss hatching Muscovy ducklings.

If I was closer, I'd gladly have donated hatching eggs for a project. They'd've been ***INCREDI-BYM's*** (TM) (R) because I don't currently even have the capacity to yield a pure bred chicken from any eggs right now *and* my dominant roo is a many-generation certified mutt... but he's a handsome mutt with some pleasant egg genes and a certified non-aggressive disposition. Other possible dads include five silkies, and a SL Polish. Mom's include a silkie, an Australorp that might be a Jersey Giant, a blue copper Marans, a Marans/Ameraucana OE, and a BO. By spring, I'll have a scad of new layers including a bunch of likely OE, Leghorn crosses, and barred Rocks, but these guys are going to be going into breeding pens for the Superbird project.

I don't advise hatching now because of gnarly temps and the resultant chicks being useless to you til POL anyway. You are getter off buying grown girls for eggs now. If you insist on hatching, I wouldn't pay more for "hatching eggs" than "eating eggs" from anyone who's selling BYM or simply hasn't separated breeds and keeps a rooster with the girls. Paying more doesn't make them any more hatchable.

 

[Indyshent]

Not certain about expense of shipping eggs (undoubtedly too spendy for us) but I don't mind chicken trains, if we've got any going. Only other concern is that most of my laying girls are newer to laying, and pullet eggs aren't the best for hatching. The Marans and OE are younger hens, but their eggs have definitely hatched.

POL: point of lay

 

[kanina]

Whats a good chicken that lays a lot in the winter? Also what chicken is almost broody all the time? I want chickens for winter egg collection, and also egg hatcher's to hatch my Muscovy eggs come spring.
What chicken starts laying the earliest?

Silkies are ggggggggreat broodies, and excellent mothers. My grandma had one that was basically always trying to hatch. If we can find somewhere between us we could meet I have those chicks still available and would consider selling my EE pullet that should start laying any day now. I could possibly stop and meet @Indyshent for eggs on the way to meet you.

 

[Nyla]

I'd love to meet up again! Anderson is 3.5 hours away from me. Wish we all could do a meet up.

Silkies are ggggggggreat broodies, and excellent mothers. My grandma had one that was basically always trying to hatch. If we can find somewhere between us we could meet I have those chicks still available and would consider selling my EE pullet that should start laying any day now. I could possibly stop and meet @Indyshent for eggs on the way to meet you.

 

[kanina]

I'd love to meet up again! Anderson is 3.5 hours away from me. Wish we all could do a meet up.

How far is Lebanon for you?

 

[Nyla]

2 hours 35 minutes.

How far is Lebanon for you?

 

[hbrown322]

Is it normal for a hen to go broody this late in the year??