ISA Browns -- my what large eggs you have!

[Fred's Hens]

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Unless I've missed something, Townline charges $2 for an order of 25. I don't see those as high prices, particularly.

 

[Fred's Hens]

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Townline has a photo tour of their hatchery and parent stock on their website.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The ISA does not look substantially different than most other Red sex links. It tends to favor the golden side, rather than more red side.

The ISA Brown does mature early. Mine commenced laying at 18 weeks, and by 20 weeks, were in full lay.
Friendly to a fault, but the bosses of the coop.

 

[TomG]

I have what the store called a "Golden sex link". I've heard GSLs called ISA browns but I'm sure there must be a difference. Mine is my best layer. Lays almost everyday (like 28 eggs a month) and her eggs wiegh 2-5/8 to 2-3/4 Oz. Her eggs are darker in shell color than the RIRs. She is not as pecky as the RIRs and is sort of the team leader, being the most courious. Mine GSL is a thinner bird than the rest but when you consider her output I'm surprised she is as healthy as she is.

 

[River Rats]

What does ISA stand for?

 

[Fred's Hens]

French corporation of science of animal genetics.

Google it. You'll find out a lot. There seems to have considerable consolidation and buy outs and merger of some of these companies.

As far as breeding them, since these birds, and many others, are virtually patented, that is their genetic make up is rather a closely held corporate secret.
ISAs are not the only super bred bird. There are meat birds, rangers, and a half dozen layers, both white egg and brown egg "model numbers".

 

[donrae]

I don't think it's just the isa browns, I think most of the sex-links lay larger eggs. My blacks sure do, consistently larger than my barred rock or buff orp. Also little laying machines! They hardly took a break to molt this winter, now they're back at it. I got them in spring 09.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Study Warren, DeKalb, I.S.A., Hy-Line and others.

It appears that they hold their genetics program close to the vest. They apparently sell fertile egss, shipped by jet to the world's major hatcheries for use in developing their parent stock and likely come with an instruction booklet. (tongue in cheek)

So, a major hatchery keeps model #3134 going, sell the chicks. Eventually, if they wish, they can order 4000 eggs of the new and improved model #3136 and grow a new parent stock of the latest model. This is a world wide market.

 

[jmc]

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I bought them at the local feed store last spring, $3 each.

NO WAY!

 

[jmc]

Fred's Hens :

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Unless I've missed something, Townline charges $2 for an order of 25. I don't see those as high prices, particularly.

i must have missed something. i thought i saw 9.00 ea. under 50 chicks..........thanks for the heads up.​