I knew ISA Browns were production layers, but it came as a real surprise to me how much I have come to adore mine. I chose 2 for my flock because they lay sooner and regularly. I wasn't prepared to enjoy their personalities and the fact that they're so affectionate. They're the first to greet me and practically bowl me over to be picked up for a cuddle and scratch. They both close their eyes and coo/purr in contentment. My dh laughs at me for talking to them, but he says he can't deny they're listening when they cock their heads from side to side and cluck right back at me.
I have been collecting an egg a day each (usually very large) but now I'm wondering if this type of laying causes problems for them later. Will they burn out after a couple of years, or develop problems connected to laying? I keep reading about production egg companies replacing these girls after about 2 years due to the fact that egg numbers taper off. Most of the information I've found on ISA Browns only pertains to laying, not their lives and health after. Are they a breed that has a genetic predisposition to only be good for a specific amount of time?...Kinda like meat birds and their propensity for leg problems, heart attacks, etc. Someone, say it ain't so!
I have a big soft spot for these ladies and I want to keep them healthy and happy well beyond their peak egg producing years. And to think, they were the two chicks I picked as an afterthought...
These are my Goofballs. I love 'em.
Thanks,
Jenn
I have been collecting an egg a day each (usually very large) but now I'm wondering if this type of laying causes problems for them later. Will they burn out after a couple of years, or develop problems connected to laying? I keep reading about production egg companies replacing these girls after about 2 years due to the fact that egg numbers taper off. Most of the information I've found on ISA Browns only pertains to laying, not their lives and health after. Are they a breed that has a genetic predisposition to only be good for a specific amount of time?...Kinda like meat birds and their propensity for leg problems, heart attacks, etc. Someone, say it ain't so!
I have a big soft spot for these ladies and I want to keep them healthy and happy well beyond their peak egg producing years. And to think, they were the two chicks I picked as an afterthought...



These are my Goofballs. I love 'em.



Thanks,
Jenn