RIR, Wyandotte, or EASTER EGGER???

[Cowgirl71]

What I've HEARD is that the chocolate egg layers won't be very good layers because the egg has to go through the brown coloring part of their egg factory many times to get the darker color, which slows down the egg making process. Also, don't buy hatchery birds if you want chocolate eggs. Their eggs will just be a darker normal brown (because hatcheries breed for high egg production). If you want a true chocolate egg, you need to get them from a breeder.

If you want high egg production, I'd recommend Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, and any of the hatchery Sex-Links. Buff Orpingtons are also excellent layers, but only during the fall, winter, and spring. During the summer they'll be trying to hatch everyone's eggs, LOL!

Also, you may not want to give up yet on your EEs. EEs are know to mature later than most breeds (around 24-26 weeks), and then be excellent layers.

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

Quote:
Love the color of the Maran eggs but not the drama. I had BC, blue, black, cuckoo and golden cuckoo...all fiesty/aggressive; especially the roos but the hens were also. I rehomed all of them because of their personality, or IMHO severe lack of a good one. I adore Wyandottes and rosecomb RIR, they lay well PLUS have rosecombs which I prefer in my climate.

 

[1 Bad Rotti]

Quote:
Love the color of the Maran eggs but not the drama. I had BC, blue, black, cuckoo and golden cuckoo...all fiesty/aggressive; especially the roos but the hens were also. I rehomed all of them because of their personality, or IMHO severe lack of a good one. I adore Wyandottes and rosecomb RIR, they lay well PLUS have rosecombs which I prefer in my climate.

Did your marans come from a breeder or a hatchery, just out of curiosity.

 

[cubalaya]

get some heritage rir and they will lay good and not be too aggressive.

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

Quote:
Love the color of the Maran eggs but not the drama. I had BC, blue, black, cuckoo and golden cuckoo...all fiesty/aggressive; especially the roos but the hens were also. I rehomed all of them because of their personality, or IMHO severe lack of a good one. I adore Wyandottes and rosecomb RIR, they lay well PLUS have rosecombs which I prefer in my climate.

Did your marans come from a breeder or a hatchery, just out of curiosity.

All of mine came from breeders...back in the day when 60.00 to 120.00 a dozen for BC Marans eggs was pretty standard. But after hatching and raising them I grew to dislike them. Each color had it's own separate pen and within each pen every bird was marked so I knew the pedigree of each individual. I bought eggs from several breeders, it made no difference as to the birds disposition as to which breeder they came from. Maybe other people have had a different experience with Marans, just sharing mine.

 

[cabincrazyone]

I've read this entire thread. I'm curious how you would compare Barred Rocks to RIRs, Austrolorps, and EEs for egg production and disposition.

 

[1 Bad Rotti]

I got RIR, Delaware, & Australorps for eggs. In my case the reds are the best layers.

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
X2 Or not aggressive at all

 

[Cowgirl71]

Quote:
X2 Or not aggressive at all

My RIRs from McMurray are sweet hearts.

Cabincrazyone: Assuming we're talking about hatchery birds, RIRs will be the best layers, followed by Australorps, and then Barred Rocks. EEs vary quite a lot because each hatchery has their own recipe and they're mutts.

 

[1 Bad Rotti]

Isn't it true that an EE without a tail will be very good to pass the colored egg gene when crossed? Aren't they closer to pure than the ones with tails???