Should I try easter eggers again?

[keds45]

Hi! I know I've posted about my non-laying easter egger "hen" Cleo. In the past year and 3 months she has laid one egg.(She will be 2 years old in Feb.). She seems just fine and is a nice pet chicken so its no big deal.

My question is should I try this "breed" again? I have 5 chickens now, would like to max my backyard flock at 8. I love the idea of the colorful eggs, so I'd like to get 3 EE chicks this spring---but should I? What if they are non layers too? I'd love some opinions from some of the more experienced chickeners out there. Thanks!

 

[StarLover21]

Hi,
We used to have a whole flock of easter eggers. They are wonderful birds, and all of them layed. I also know a freind who has a easter egger, and she lays too. I think it's just the individual chicken- I'm sure all of your other chickens will lay. It's very rare to have a sterile hen. But maybe don't get your chicks from where you got your current hen, just in case.
If you don't want to take the chance, you could aslo get marans- chocolate eggs!

 

[debid]

I have 3 and they all lay regularly. Nice, big eggs, too!

 

[SIMZ]

I'm with them! I have five and lay really well.

 

[keds45]

I think I'll give it a shot then! i don't know what the deal is with Cleo. I would think if she had an internal laying problem or something similar she would be dead by now---but she's just fine. I regularly have my kids scour the yard for a nest, just in case, and no dice. I wonder if she has some kind of hormone problem? Thanks Y'all!

 

[PtldChick]

Go for it...and I heard that Ideal and Cackle have the most variety to theirs,in case you'd like them to look different from each other. And that Privett is the most consistent with most being the partridge variety. This from a guy whose business is providing local stores here with chicks.

I have two that are great. I had three but my dogs got my favorite - she was a beautiful copper color with black highlights and definitley boss hen. If I had more room, I'd pick up several chicks from a feed store that uses Ideal or Cackle, and get all different looking ones to see what they grew up into. I still may do that!

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

I had great experience with Doris, she was an every other day girl all summer and fall. I loved her so much I bought Olive who will hopefully lay beautiful olive eggs this spring. I would totally give it another shot, but I bought birds that were laying or almost laying not chicks and you might want to consider doing that.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Similar mystery here. I have a healthy seven-month-old EE who started laying lovely eggs at 4.5 months, then stopped cold a month or so later. Haven't had an egg from her since.

 

[keds45]

That's our story too! The other thing about Cleo is that she is by far my most beautiful chicken. Her feathers are unbelievable. We call her our "bay watch chicken". I just think she is putting all her body's resources into maintaing her good looks instead of producing eggs. Not sure if it works that way, but that's what it looks like to me! I'm going to check our local feed stores to see where they are getting their EEs from! Thanks for all your replies everyone!