Oldest Consistent Egg Layers

[orrpeople]

What breed are your oldest, yet consistent, egg layers?

 

[gamebirdsonly]

My welsummers.

 

[orrpeople]

My welsummers.

How old are they? Eggs per week? Because our girls are dual purpose (by that I mean eggs and pets

) we would really love to find a breed that lays well past their 2nd birthday!

 

[260906]

Our Buff Orpington has laid about 2-4 eggs per week this summer, and she'll be five years old next month.

We had a Leghorn mix and a Rhode Island Red who each laid 4-5 eggs per week up until they died at about 4 1/2 years old.

None of them lay much while molting, though, or in the winter. I think the Rhode Island Red was our best layer in cold weather -- maybe 2-3 eggs per week (sometimes 4 or 5 per week in the winter when she was young).

 

[orrpeople]

Our Buff Orpington has laid about 2-4 eggs per week this summer, and she'll be five years old next month.  

We had a Leghorn mix and a Rhode Island Red who each laid 4-5 eggs per week up until they died at about 4 1/2 years old.

None of them lay much while molting, though, or in the winter.  I think the Rhode Island Red was our best layer in cold weather -- maybe 2-3 eggs per week (sometimes 4 or 5 per week in the winter when she was young).

That's so good to hear! I wonder if allowing them the winter slow down (no added light) might also extend their laying years?

 

[260906]

Could be. I wonder if all that egg laying is hard on them. We've owned chickens over five years now, and our highest-producing hens from our original group died earlier this year, while a couple of hens who didn't lay quite as often are still going strong. (The Orpington I mentioned is one of them.)

 

[snywalker]

What breed are your oldest, yet consistent, egg layers?

I had a rir who was 4 and would lay about 5 a week in the summer. But she died.

I have 2 barred rocks who are 5 and lay every other day (opposite days) so they are consistent, but it's not many.

 

[Weehopper]

I would think that if I went into labor 200 or so days a year, I'd be quite ready for a break now and then. Lol, I'd have to go to Mexico on vacation! I would, and do, give them a break. I think it's better for their overall health to let nature take its course,

 

[carlf]

I would think that if I went into labor 200 or so days a year, I'd be quite ready for a break now and then. Lol, I

I was thinking the same thing while responding to another post!

I had 9 RIRx BR BSLs back in high school, for close to 3 years, I got 7-9 eggs per day, even in winter. But I kept lights on in the coop 24/7 in December - February.

My BRs are now 2 1/2 and I get 4-6 eggs each per week from them.