Need suggestions/opinions on good white egg layers...

[jmk3482]

Hello everyone.

I will be ordering from mypetchicken.com in a little while, once they are up and running again. And I want to get 1 or 2 white egg layers along with some other breeds. I want standard size chickens and I don't want a white leghorn. mypetchicken.com has three breeds I'm interested in but I wanted to know if any of you have these breeds and what you think of them and/or your suggestions.

The breeds I'm looking at are the Gold Campine, the Light Brown Leghorn, and the Blue Andalusian.

I REALLY like the Blue Andalusian, but the description on the site says they are not cold hardy, whereas the other two are. I have a coop with 8 chicken and they have a heating lamp. But it can still get below freezing in Missouri for a 1/4 of the year. Should I avoid this breed and get one of the others? Does anyone have any of these breeds, suggestions, opinions? Or even better, PICS?

Thank you all for your help.

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, the brown leghorn will probably be just as flighty as a white leghorn. Mediterranean breeds are in general flighty really, but there are exceptions. I have white leghorns and they aren't that bad when socialized. They come up steal the food first, but generally don't like to be held.

 

[rooster-red]

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I have a white leghorn, light brown leghorn and 2 blue andalusions and I agree that the light browns are just as flighty as the whites.

Here is one of my blues.

 

[MNKris]

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Well, I have only had mine for about 5 weeks. But, out of 11 breeds, mine are the most hearty of ALL of them, and I am in Minnesota! I have many, many friends in MO. Trust me, if baby Andalusians can make here in MN, they will be just fine in MO!

I have to tell you, I love them. They are fiesty and flyers, but they are absolutely beautiful and very easy to keep. The each look different. I onlyl have 12, but the shades of white, blue and black is stunning. They feathered up very fast too.

All three of your choices are my three favorite white layers as well.

 

[jmk3482]

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Well, I actually am not looking for a cuddly white egg layer. I just don't like plain white feathered chickens. I like having birds with pretty plummage. I want my birds to be colorful and lay the eggs I want. I already have some light brown layers. But I want to get white, dark brown and blue/green eggs as well. I know I'm getting the Americanas and Welsummers so now it just down to the white. I don't care if the white egg layers are flighty or un-cuddly, I just want the white eggs. If I need to get ahold of the birds, I usually just wait until night when they are roosting. Thanks for the advice!!

 

[jmk3482]

Quote:
Well, I have only had mine for about 5 weeks. But, out of 11 breeds, mine are the most hearty of ALL of them, and I am in Minnesota! I have many, many friends in MO. Trust me, if baby Andalusians can make here in MN, they will be just fine in MO!

I have to tell you, I love them. They are fiesty and flyers, but they are absolutely beautiful and very easy to keep. The each look different. I onlyl have 12, but the shades of white, blue and black is stunning. They feathered up very fast too.

All three of your choices are my three favorite white layers as well.

I agree if you can keep Blue Anda's in MN then MO should be fine!! Thanks so much for sharing your info!!

And rooster-red, THANKS for the pics!!!

Your blues are gorgeous!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

Oh, don't worry, the white birds will become flecked in brown and shades of what ever color the dirt is in no time!

Dirt baths just aren't the same for them after a rain, at least the blues, browns, and buffs can hide it really well.

My production leghorn lays up a storm of eggs. She laid right though winter like nothing happened (Low mainly between 20-30's) Took a 3 week break, and is laying almost daily again. But I agree, white birds are a bit of boring so to say. I keep them because they are such amazing layers.

 

[scgamecock]

I like my blue Andalusians and they both are the splash coloring.I really like my Ancona which is a black mottled hen that lays just as well as my leghorns.She is a very pretty hen and loves to get out of the pen and scratch around.i have mostly brown egg layers but if i was going to get a lot of white egg layer the andalusians and ancona would be in the mix for sure.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

If you wanted to add some colored birds, Lakenvelders, and Hamburgs also lay white eggs. I live in Maine (where it gets pretty darned cold) and have kept Campines and Andalusians as well.
The thing I've found with all these breeds is that they tend to be flighty, but are excellent foragers.