Laying hens are hard to find!

[bburn]

I have mostly RIR hens. I like them but we don't have eggs yet.....but thinking it will happen any day now. That said.....the hens are nice and not overly friendly but still nice. The roosters are/were a different story but I am thinking because there were so many. They were agressive from 14 weeks on....gone at 21 weeks. I would get RIR hens again but never again the roosters. Have other roosters I have kept....BO (what a big, wide chicken!) and two Barred Rock roosters. Someone will get to stay....maybe two someones. We will see.

 

[sheila3935]

My RIR's are great layers since they started laying we get 7-8 eggs a day have have 8 At first they were skittish but since they have been laying they are friendlier. They tend to pick on the younger ones and kind of run the yard.My Barred Rocks are super friendly dont know about egg laying yet they are still too young. My Black Australorps are sweet they are young not laying. My Naked Necks are way cute but a little skittish too young to lay. My mixes are all sweet too young to lay. My barred rock roos are sweet no problems with them at least not yet.

 

[Tunastopper]

I just got some chicks from Welps last week. I was able to get all the types I wanted. One of my favorites is the California Gray. I sometimes cross them on White Leghorns to get California Whites. They are egg machines and develop early. Price includes shipping. No extra charges if you order at least 5 of each variety. the only breed I really do not like is the RIR. I hate collecting eggs from them. I always get attacked.

 

[Adorkable]

If you want something that matures early I read somewhere that BO's usually mature late. I'm not sure how much truth there is to that but it's probably worth looking into a bit more if you are considering them.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Not so. There's ALWAYS more breeds out there you don't have in your variety. Every single chick I bought, even from the very beginning, was a single representative of a breed. I just keep adding. And looking at other breeds and thinking, do I want one of those?

Occasionally, just occasionally, the answer is no. (I actually DO research particular breeds.)

Now that I'm hatching eggs I bought here on BYC or from eBay, I'm getting more than one chick of a breed.

...does not seem to be slowing me down all that much... but BOY do I have a nicely varied and colorful flock!!!