New into this, help me decide which breed.

[cumulus10]

I have chickens that ( if let outside) come directly inside the coop almost before dark. ( without training). I have two Buff Orpingtons, two Easter Eggers, two Speckled Sussexs, and three Barred Rocks. Every one lays 5 eggs a week. For more info about chickens go to this website; http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/breed-list.aspx. This is how I got all of my chickens.

 

[Mahonri]

I'd get a Light Brown Leghorn roo. GREAT foragers... not as easy to spot from above if there are hawk predators.... females are great producers...

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

Gators would eat them, Orps really get to hot in the deep south, and I found them too aggressive.
Right my Rocks are laying better than the Leghorns, and they are over 2 years old and they are still doing an egg a day (and huge ones!)

Also remember that they need to do well with the heat.

 

[poultrycrazy]

maybe leghorn hens with a plymouth rock roo? or all leghorns? maybe lighter breeds will do better because of the aligators and i would put up a fence a couple of feet away from the canal so the chickens cant go near it for a croc to even see them? (if possible and it would probably be safer for the kids depending on how old they are?)

 

[crazyhen]

Leghorns love to fly onto and over fences, stick with the rocks they are not as aggressive and mine is just a pleasure. There are Barred, columbian patterned etc. colors. I have a blue and a barred one here. They do handle heat better than the orps. I love my Bonnie blue and Emma my barred. Good layers and sweet dispositons too. They are chatty with me like they are trying to talk to me and turn their heads as if to understand. I got my Br from Speckledhen and the Blue from Scott. I think this year he will have some columbian patterned ones too. You will have to look out for the preditors like racoons, and the opposums as well. There will be hawks that come around occ. too. No place is without preditors even though you may not see them at first. Good luck and enjoy your hens. Gloria Jean

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Quote:
chic-n-farmer; Is the difference in egg production dramatic between the White and Silver Leghorn? One of the reasons I am choosing the Leghorn rooster to mix with the Rocks, is the legendary egg production of the Leghorn. Are Rocks actually better layers than the Silver Leghorn?

Through personal experience, and conversations with others, I would have to say white leghorns are more productive than the other varieties, followed by brown. But... if hawks spot and gobble up the white ones... you may not get the full production life span.

For best feed conversion to egg ratio leghorns can't be beat.