Questions on how well some breeds lay and behaviors!!

I have/had a few of your standards-

Wyandottes- Love them. A little grumpy and stand-offish, but bear confinement well and are very hardy. Lay young and lay well until about 3 y.o. and then they slow down. Some go broody.

RIR- Hated them. Adventurous, aggressive at times, hardy, lay young and lay well. I just don't like this breed. I went through 2 batches, and I won't get them again. I had more behavioral problems with RIRs than with any other birds. My neighbors had similar experiences with this breed.

EEs (aka hatchery Ameraucanas)- Love them. These have a lot of variation depending on what breeds are used in the mix. Mine are tiny, flighty, spastic, tough little cookies that lay beautiful green eggs. Mine are not reliable layers, but the beautiful eggs make them worth keeping. That, and the comedic relief they provide.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

I've got Rhode island reds. They lay a egg a day 6 days a week is pretty average. They don't mind confinement. They do free range for about an hour a day then I put them back in their run and coop. Mine are docile, not too noisy. I think they are perfect. They are pretty low maintenance. They handled the summer heat fine we did have some 90 degree days for a week or so. They just drank a considerable more water than now. I can not speak for the other breeds. While mine are not heritage they are production varity. I hope this helps

I just wanted to add the only other chickens I have had were leghorns and I didn't care for them as much. They were skidish and always afaid of everything

 

We have whiet leghorns, born in april this year, and they pretty much lay every day. They may miss one day out of 12. But they are crazy. they are a chickens, chicken. squawk and run from everything. We also have Golden Comets and Production reds. both lay brown eggs and plenty of them, almost as well as the leghorns. they are all like 2 year old kids. under your feet lookig for treats. really easy to deal with. the comet lays as much as the leghorns. and they are the prettest bronze eggs. if my wife didn't like white eggs the comets are all I would have.
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New Hampshire Red - best layer and biggest eggs in my flock. She's also the most inquisitive/friendliest bird in my flock. She's Rosemary. I got a double-yolker from her a few weeks ago.,

 

I have one RIR, 2 goldens (mix of RIR and RIwhite) and 2 easter eggers. All my chickens get 1 to 3 hours a day of free range time and they love it.

RIR: Sasha is the friendliest and tamest of our chickens. She is also the dominant chicken. She pecked the poor easter eggers unmercifully for awhile. Initially I had 2 RIR and when one died, Sasha decided she had to be dominant. She is also the one who looks in the family room door and would come inside if given a chance. When I clean out the chicken coop she stays right with me to 'help" just in case I turn up anything good. She is a good consistent egg layer.

Goldens: My two goldens hang out together and one lays the biggest eggs. I have gotten some double yolkers from her. They both will fly if they get startled. Good consistent layers.

Easter eggers: Mine are a little flighty and not as friendly as the others. They don't lay as consistently as the RIR and the goldens, but they do have personality. I also like the green eggs. They seem to be on the bottom of the pecking order in my small flock.

 

I have a docile RIR, Golden comet, barred rock is the queen but also calm and quiet. Purchased one week old, never any problems. Bought 2 month old Speckled Sussex, no human contact so she was very afraid. Took 3 weeks but she settled into the quiet docile other 3. 2 months ago bought delaware, wont do that again. My silver/gold wyandottes are docile, so is the 2 polish, and very docile australopes. Hope this helps.

 

I've had experience with and have raised White Leghorns, RIRs, New Hampshires and EE.

WL: Great layers, quiet, hardy, good foragers and thrifty on feed. Do not often go broody.
RIR: Great layers(lay often and lay for many years), quirky, smart, hardy to the max, good foragers, thrifty on feeds, quiet, do not often go broody.
NH: Great layers(lay often and lay for many years), hardy, good foragers, thrifty on feed, meatier than the previous two mentioned, quiet, goes broody enough to reproduce and make great mothers.
EE: Not consistent layers, too broody, quirky but not in a good way, hardy, good foragers, thrifty on feeds, quiet, not good broodies or mothers.