Looking for a HIGH production layer that breeds true that isn't a white leghorn.

[Prairie Hills Homestead]

Rhode Island Red?

Australorps and Barred Rocks can give quite a bit of eggs. But RIR is probably the Queen after Leghorns if you want pure and lots of eggs.

I was thinking about astralorps. Large docile birds who lay. I have never had one though.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Perhaps pheonixes. Mine bred like rats last spring, which means they must lay a lot when they're not nesting. Breaking them is relatively easy too if you want tk

 

[Prairie Hills Homestead]

My leghorns have had no issues here, even with that week from Hell about a month ago before Christmas. Granted my town wasn't in the top 10 list for lowest air or wind temp, but we still were hitting -24

We hit -54 that week. My one silkie lived inside. My heated and insulated coop still couldn't keep her warm. I will never own another silkie, cute but DUMB and doesn't lay well, continually tries to die.

 

[Iluveggers]

I was thinking about astralorps. Large docile birds who lay. I have never had one though.

We have 3 at the farm in a large flock. They are very docile and lay a lot. May add one to my home flock this year. @3KillerBs can tell you much more about them if you have questions.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

We hit -54 that week. My one silkie lived inside. My heated and insulated coop still couldn't keep her warm. I will never own another silkie, cute but DUMB and doesn't lay well, continually tries to die.

Oh, you were number one for real temp, right? Or air temp? I think I know where you were.

My male silkie, David, is that way. Thank goodness the males running around think he's too stupid to be worth harassing when he gets out

 

[SourRoses]

Probably smaller combs would be helpful in those temps.

I'd suggest a breed with floof, but I can't think of one that meets your requirements for XL eggs and high production.

What is the lay rate like on Chanteclers, the Canadian arctic chicken?

 

[nicalandia]

There are highly productive strains of New Hampshire

 

[Prairie Hills Homestead]

Perhaps pheonixes. Mine bred like rats last spring, which means they must lay a lot when they're not nesting. Breaking them is relatively easy too if you want tk

How many eggs do you get a week? I have seen everything from 50 eggs a year to 250. THanks!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Why do you want it to be an APA breed, do you plan to show? If so, you'll likely have to put in some work to get a show line up to commercial production standards. Like... a lot of work.

If that isn't your goal... maybe consider legbars. There are production lines that lay almost as well as commercial leghorns. Do quiz the breeders you're considering, though, and make sure they have a stablized line that produces as you would expect. They are very winter hearty in every way aside from their comb. Id recommend dubbing in an environment like yours.

 

[Prairie Hills Homestead]

Oh, you were number one for real temp, right? Or air temp? I think I know where you were.

My male silkie, David, is that way. Thank goodness the males running around think he's too stupid to be worth harassing when he gets out

Not quite, Whitehall was worse for real feel temp. Our ambient air was -31, but we had 25-40mph winds that day so we were -54, maybe lower. It was BRUTALLY cold. I am Northwest of Billings.