New Flock - Laying hens for colored eggs..which breeds?

[brandoncakes]

Aloha everyone!

I'm in Hawaii and kinda new to BYC, actually I've been lurking for years. I've raised chickens heavily back in the 90's, and have always loved it. Since I moved in 1998, I wasn't able to have as many. I had a small flock of Silkies(3 roosters-white, partridge, & black) which I hatched out of an old styro-incubator I couldn't let go of. Once they started crowing, the neighbors complained and out they went. My dad ended up taking them to work with him at a quarry. He let them loose and fed them everyday, but they all found a flock of wild hens to be-friend. I then started with another batch of eggs(blue orpingtons, hatched out 3 blacks, 2 blues). Again, the crowing started and the roosters had to go. The hens eventually died off from old age.

It's been about 6 years now since my last bird, and the craving for chicken-raising is kicking in BIG TIME! I now run a cupcake making business (brandoncakes.com), and the need for eggs is big! It would be lovely to count on some laying hens to provide me with great tasting eggs. I started my business back in 2007, and throughout the years I've been a huge fan of Martha Stewart's baking. I love her huge bowls of colored eggs she has on display during every baking show...and I want that as well! I've settled on a couple breeds, but need your expert advice on egg laying abilities and temperment to narrow them down to 3. I want a quiet, friendly bird:

WELSUMMERS/MARANS/BARNEVELDERS (dark eggs) - I'm looking for egg laying abilities, as well as those dark brown eggs. Right now I'm leaning towards the Welsummers since I've read a few threads where they're considered better layers, and extremely friendly. The Barnevelders are extremely beautiful tho. I want those dark eggs, but I'm willing to give up a few shades of darkness for a friendlier, more prolific layer. How many eggs can I expect per week from each of these?

EASTER EGGERS/AMERICAUNAS (blue/green eggs) - I'll be ordering from a hatchery(right now it's between Ideal & Stromberg's since they will sex their dark egg layers), but I don't know which type is "better" than the other. I've read that EEs mostly produce green eggs, but I'd love a blue egg laying hen. I also read that majority of the chicks you find at the hatchery are EEs, but Stromberg's is offering Americaunas and EEs. Any breed a better layer than the other? How many eggs can I expect per week from these?

RED/BLACK/GOLD SEX-LINK (brown eggs) - I need an egg laying machine to keep up with my orders, but which is friendlier? Do they burn out real bad to where their egg count drops dramatically during their second year? How many eggs per week after the first year?

Notice no white egg layers. They tend to be very noisy, and sometimes unfriendly. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free. Any other choices I should be considering? Thank you so much )

brandon.

PS - I've raised many breeds before(Americauna, Orpingtons, Polish, Faverolles, Silkies) and found the Buff Orpington to be my best egg layer.

 

[Posh Chickens]

You may like Cream Legbars, Gold Legbars, Cochins.. All them... I'm not sure about egg quantity though... Maybe a White Leghorn, they aren't noisy, mine anyway.. Good Luck!
Cream Legbars = Blue/Green/Olive Eggs
Gold Legbars =
Cochins = Depends what type
White Leghorn = Nice BIG white eggs.

Maybe you would like a jungle fowl hen?

 

[AKsmama]

We have EEs, black sex links and Marans- all hatchery stock. We love the BSL- ours are friendly, curious and great layers. I can't comment on how well they lay into their second year as ours aren't even a year old yet, but there are others here that can. Supposedly the sex links "burn out" faster than other breeds. Our EEs lay pink, green, and sky blue eggs. I am actually surprised at how many blue and blue-ish eggs we get. Of course, EEs can also lay a brown egg- you never know until they begin laying. If you're leaning towards EEs, I'd say get several so you end up with a few different colors. As far as the Marans go, ours are fairly friendly and lay pretty well, although if you are looking for solidly dark eggs every time, you want to go with breeder stock and not hatchery. We do get some beautiful dark ones, but more often than not, they are speckled. Still very pretty and delicious, but definitely not a consistently dark egg each time.

 

[Morgan7782]

I would go with Plymouth Rocks rather then sexlinks personally. Sex Links can burn out easily and become egg bound or have other laying issues because they are so specifically bred to produce. Even hatchery Plymouth Rocks seem to be a great dual purpose breed. My Barred Rock lays me 2.3 ounces eggs 6 times a week, can't beat that! They also lay very well in winter and are hardy birds. Just IMO.

Easter Eggers/Ameraucana's are wonderful! I have one right now, and another Black Copper Marans cross. I just got a new EE chick also

Great Brown Egg Layers"

Rhode Island Red
Black Australorp
Plymouth Rock
Wyandotte
Brahma (My Brahma laid 2.3 ounce eggs DAILY(

Can't beat these darkies!

French Black Copper Marans, hands down. Welsummer's eggs are sort of terracotta, close to a Black Australorp, but my BCM girl lays DARK DARK brown eggs on a near daily basis as well! They are smaller then the Barred Rocks but just as good! My BCM girl lays about 5-6 eggs a week.

This is just my personal experience!

 

[georgialee]

You should defitely hatch out some olive eggers. It adds the perfect touch when you also have light/dark brown and blue. Also, penedesencas lay dark brown eggs as well. Kind of like a terra cotta color. It's very pretty.

 

[brandoncakes]

Thanks so much everyone! I think I'm going to change my decisions to EEs, Black Australorps, and Barred Rocks. I wasn't really interested in tinted eggs, but now that I think about it, eggs are eggs right? As long as the breed is quiet and friendly, I'll be happy if they produce well. Now I know all hatcheries carry good laying stock(since they need good laying production to supply chicks), but any hatchery in particular you recommend me ordering from? I've ordered through McMurray twice(Embden Geese and a mixed flock of Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps, & Ameraucanas - actually I ordered Araucanas and got upset that they were Ameraucanas, so I wrote a letter to them explaining that they're not selling a true Araucana breed. They ended up changing their name. I'm sure many of you wrote in as well), and I've received stock from Ideal(Jumbo CornishxRocks, RIRs, Seabrights, Polish) . I'm also pretty sure the birds I had from before were all McMurray hatchery stock as well(Faverolles, Orpingtons, Ameraucanas, Brown Chinese Geese, and African Geese).

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I've always ordered from Ideal and never had a problem, they aren't perfect (but no hatchery is) but are always nice and willing to make up or refund your money if there are any mistakes or deaths.