Selecting a Breed

[Stuart77047]

I currently have a mixed flock of 4 production reds and 3 easter eggers.

It is my first flock. I want to get rid of the easter eggers. I don't want to build a new run or house for a younger group of chickens. From what I have read, it would seem I would be better off getting rid of the whole flock and bringing in all new chicks that are the same age to avoid issues.

For my new flock I wanted to get some input on what breed to choose. My first flock is of meat/laying birds. I processed one bird and I believe I will pass on that in the future. I am looking for the best layer I can find, that can tolerate very hot summers and is relatively quite. I will have no roosters. I will sell them if I end up with one. I live in a neighborhood and do not want to piss off the neighbors.

Can anyone give me some suggestions based on their experience? I like the production reds that I have, but I am looking for a breed that is a slightly better layer. The ones I have are quite and consistent layers, but only produce medium sized eggs. Keeping them is not completely out of the questions, but I am not stuck on them either.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Commercial red sex links are probably the best brown egg layers out there. I am partial to what they call Red Stars or Isa Browns, but pretty much any of the red sex links from commercial hatcheries are going to be really good layers. They are medium size birds at about 5-6 pounds, they are usually good and friendly with people, but do tend to be fairly bossy with other chickens, and will usually wind up as one of the dominant hens. I don't find them to be any more noisy than your average chicken. I have had the black sex links also, didn't like them as well, they tend to be larger birds, more duel purpose, but don't lay as well. Commercial Sex links are bred to lay a lot of eggs for about two years, then be culled, so they tend to have more than your average number of reproductive problems, especially as they age. They are really really popular and if you have extra chicks of these, you can usually sell them no problem. Also nice is because they are sex links, there are not going to be any surprise roosters.
For white eggs or eggs in general, they are better producers than the brown egg layers, Commercial White Leghorn types are going to be number one. They do tend to be slightly smaller flightier birds than the red sex links, and I find them to be somewhat noisier. Again like the sex links they are bred to lay a lot of eggs for about two years, then be culled, so they tend to have more than your average number of reproductive problems, especially as they age. They also are really really popular and if you have extra chicks of these, you can usually sell them no problem.