New Hampshire vs Rhode Island Red egg quality

[Franklinridgefarms]

I have some 2 year old New Hampshire hens that I got at Tractor Supply as chicks, probably cane from Hoovers Hatchery.
They have been great birds, good disposition and good solid layers of large eggs.
I’ve got some ordered from Murray McMurray, and hoping they will be as good.
I’ve usually ordered mainly white leghorns from them, and have been well satisfied.
I have never had Rhode Island Reds and am thinking of adding some of those. Do they lay as large of an egg as New Hampshires? Is the egg color a little darker than NHs?
Do RIR lay many more eggs than hatchery NH?

 

[nuthatched]

Everything you read on egg production and size of egg in different breeds isn't always straight across the board on every chicken in those breeds. It's a question with many variables.

 

[heather_and_earth]

I have heritage RIR LF and show quality bantam RIR’s. I have raised hatchery RIR and Red Stars. I am waiting for a shipment of Henry Noll’s line of NH from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Aug. I can’t speak to the NH but can tell you, I doubt the RIR will drastically outperform your NH. I would invest in a few Red Stars if brown egg production is what you’re after. Since NH come from RIR exclusively and were bred to have a meatier breast, you may get a few more eggs with the hatchery RIR stock but the hatchery RIR will also slow down laying in cold weather. Red Stars will lay better despite the seasons.

With that being said, I have never had a Leghorn I didn’t like for egg laying ability. Personality, sure. But as egg layers, they take the cake where I live (Northern CA) which is important due to the ever rising cost of feed. I have also fed them a homegrown ration (nothing fancy-corn and sunflower seeds), table scraps, and garden abundance and they didn’t even flinch. Eggs kept steady and they were happy. I feed oyster shell on the side when I have it but they get plenty of bugs and I do feed eggshells back to them to help keep them balanced.

Best of luck finding what works for you. Why not try some RIR and some Red Stars and report back to us your results? The poultry industry is forever changing in good ways and bad. What I experienced may be different from you so why not? Livestock and gardening are all a big science experiment anyways, right?!

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

I have heritage RIR LF and show quality bantam RIR’s. I have raised hatchery RIR and Red Stars. I am waiting for a shipment of Henry Noll’s line of NH from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Aug. I can’t speak to the NH but can tell you, I doubt the RIR will drastically outperform your NH. I would invest in a few Red Stars if brown egg production is what you’re after. Since NH come from RIR exclusively and were bred to have a meatier breast, you may get a few more eggs with the hatchery RIR stock but the hatchery RIR will also slow down laying in cold weather. Red Stars will lay better despite the seasons.

With that being said, I have never had a Leghorn I didn’t like for egg laying ability. Personality, sure. But as egg layers, they take the cake where I live (Northern CA) which is important due to the ever rising cost of feed. I have also fed them a homegrown ration (nothing fancy-corn and sunflower seeds), table scraps, and garden abundance and they didn’t even flinch. Eggs kept steady and they were happy. I feed oyster shell on the side when I have it but they get plenty of bugs and I do feed eggshells back to them to help keep them balanced.

Best of luck finding what works for you. Why not try some RIR and some Red Stars and report back to us your results? The poultry industry is forever changing in good ways and bad. What I experienced may be different from you so why not? Livestock and gardening are all a big science experiment anyways, right?!

Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.
I went back and forth over what breeds to choose. I’ve been real satisfied with my current New Hampshires, so I went with several of them again. I was going to try a few Rhode Island Reds, but then decided that since they were advertised as a production strain, that would not breed true, to go with Red Stars or Amber Stars instead. I don’t remember which one at the moment.
I also chose a few Black Australorps again, and for something new 3 Black Minorcas for white eggs.

 

[heather_and_earth]

That was a good idea about the hybrids you chose. In a few months if you get around to it, update me on the Minorcas and what your experience is with them as layers. I’d absolutely love to know!

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

That was a good idea about the hybrids you chose. In a few months if you get around to it, update me on the Minorcas and what your experience is with them as layers. I’d absolutely love to know!

Will do.