Questions about Layer Breeds....

[Bleenie]

Can anyone tell me how well Marans lay? I almost bougth 6 pullets yesterday, thinking they were BR's but decided against it when i found out they were Marans. I just don't know much about the breed so I didn't wanna jump into 6 for my new laying flock in case they werent very productive or had non-friendly personalities.

thanks everyone

 

[jt673]

Quote:
It sounds like you were looking at Cuckoo Marans, which I cannot speak on. French Black Copper Marans, however, are good layers. They do not lay daily like an Australorp or a Plymouth BR. However, my trio of hens were giving 2 eggs every other day between them all. I had a breif interruption from last Thursday to today (this afternoon exactly) when our 5 month puppy was let out on a daily basis all day and he stressed them out jumping on the coop, the run....wherever they went. Between last Thursday and today they started loosing a few feathers and clearly were stressed, but someone layed an egg today!!!

A beautiful dark brown egg. Mind you, the puppy has been banned from their area the last two days until he gets more obedience training.

Back to the subject... if you do not have a large family (We're a family of 6) and do not plan to sell eggs to consumers, unless you get a large flock, then these are good consistent layers! JMHO!

 

[itsmyobsession]

I have 5 BCM 2 of which are laying and I get an egg a day in that pen, so I am guessing they are taking turns. Not as good as my Orpingtons or Dominiques but they are about average as far as layers go. My biggest complain about the marans is not their egg laying it is that they are kindof a standoffish breed, they arent very friendly as my austrolorps and could either take us or leave us, they only tolerate us because we feed them.

 

[greenSearcher]

When I had 3 Cuckoo Marans earlier this year I would get 2 or 3 eggs daily, now that I have one I get about 3 eggs a week, she suffered from the summer heat. I had one die from heat our temps average 100 for all of July and Aug. Poor girl is so sun-bleached she is gold and brown, no longer silver on black. I would get more except for the heat factor.

 

[Bleenie]

Well we are a large family that does eat/use a pretty fair amount of eggs so I am thinking that they probably wouldn't be the best choice as far as wanting them for laying hens. Pretty glad i decided to put them back and hold off for the barred rocks that will be coming in.

They also had..
Buff & Light Brahmas
Australorps
Silver Laced Wyandottes

So does anyone have any input on those breeds? I think I recall reading that Australorps are one of the best layers but not sure on the others.,......... I have such a horrible memory!

 

[briteday]

The record books all show that an australorp holds the record for the most number of eggs in a year, or something like that. But I think that's old info, and probably not based on the hatchery stock that most of us have access to these days. We have one australorp and she is ok as a layer, maybe 5 days out of 7. The wyandottes are supposed to be ok layers as well. If you are really in the market for an egglayer breed I would be looking at the black or red sexlinks. I tend to prefer the reds, just had better luck with them. If you want a standard breed then think about Rhode Island reds, barred rocks. I don't have any experience with brahmas.

 

[gryeyes]

Brahmas are supposed to be good layers in the dual purpose group.

Check out this link and keep it book-marked in your favorites, because it's a great resource:
Henderson's Handy Dandy Chicken Breed Chart
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

I have had a BA, good layer. Got one "replacing" her which will be quite a while before she starts laying, though.
I have a BO, good layer.
I have a SLW, also a good layer.

I like all three of those breeds, and have some Brahma eggs incubating plus a LB pullet about 6 weeks old, right now. Can't tell ya if they match their reputations for great layers, yet, though.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

My Andalusian has laid 12 days straight from the 15 to today, I read they were good layer but didn't realize that good my buff orpington gives me 5-6 a week and 6 from my campine

 

[Bleenie]

we had a Blue Andalusian before but she was very flighty, we ended up rehoming her before she started laying, just didn't care for her personality... even my White Leghorns were nicer than her

 

[Stormin]

I have 5 Road Island Reds and 1 Black Giant. All are 5 months old. When I first got them I was told the Reds would average 1-2 eggs a day is that true? They have been laying now for about a week and a half. They are up to 5 eggs a day now.