Small Farm Egg Production

[Cierabug]

Do any of you have small farms that don't use leghorns? And if so what breeds do you use / how many eggs a yeat do they lay. I'm looking into different breeds if chickens to use in a small farm but I don't like how susceptible Leghorns are to reproductive issues and diseases. Plus the males can't be used for much.

Also have any of you had success with using a colorful layer like an easter egger in egg production, because some info I have found says they can lay up ti 250 a year.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I use Rhode Island Reds since they are the most productive bird for eggs per year and the roosters taste delicious. I get ~250 eggs a year for two years. Then production slows down and they all become dinner.

 

[Chirehe]

My barred rocks are amazing layers I usually get 6 eggs from 7 hens a day. Plus their a dual purpose breed so some nice fried chicken from the boys! You could probably use sex links too, auto sexing is always a plus!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Avoid sexlinks, especially the red ones. They are very prone to reproductive disorders.

My Leghorns have a much longer lifespan and less susceptibility to reproductive disorders than most sexlinks do.

California Whites are similar to Leghorns, but more aggressive and very intelligent. As a free-ranger, I like them lots.

Barred Rocks are good egg layers, with heavy roosters and 280-300 eggs/year.

Production Reds are similar to sexlinks in that they don't tend to live long. RIRs are better if you want longevity. RIRs are probably my personal favorites.

I also like Australorps. They're very calm birds and good egg layers.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Avoid sexlinks, especially the red ones. They are very prone to reproductive disorders.

My Leghorns have a much longer lifespan and less susceptibility to reproductive disorders than most sexlinks do.

California Whites are similar to Leghorns, but more aggressive and very intelligent. As a free-ranger, I like them lots.

Barred Rocks are good egg layers, with heavy roosters and 280-300 eggs/year.

Production Reds are similar to sexlinks in that they don't tend to live long. RIRs are better if you want longevity. RIRs are probably my personal favorites.

I also like Australorps. They're very calm birds and good egg layers.

High five for RIR

 

[sylviethecochin]

High five for RIR

You either love 'em or hate 'em.

 

[aart]

Plus the males can't be used for much.

True for any layer breed....tho they are delicious, if not 'meaty'.

 

[Cierabug]

Avoid sexlinks, especially the red ones. They are very prone to reproductive disorders.

My Leghorns have a much longer lifespan and less susceptibility to reproductive disorders than most sexlinks do.

California Whites are similar to Leghorns, but more aggressive and very intelligent. As a free-ranger, I like them lots.

Barred Rocks are good egg layers, with heavy roosters and 280-300 eggs/year.

Production Reds are similar to sexlinks in that they don't tend to live long. RIRs are better if you want longevity. RIRs are probably my personal favorites.

I also like Australorps. They're very calm birds and good egg layers.

I tried to look into california whites, but couldn't find alot of info.Are california whites/ california greys auto-sexing? Also what is their egg color and eggegg production like?
Thanks for the help.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I tried to look into california whites, but couldn't find alot of info.Are california whites/ california greys auto-sexing? Also what is their egg color and eggegg production like?
Thanks for the help.

They're not autosexing, and they lay white eggs. They lay more than three-hundred white eggs their first year, and seemed to have pretty good longevity of lay when I had them. They are slightly larger and rather calmer than Leghorns. I've not owned roosters of that breed, and I've never owned CGs.

 

[sylviethecochin]

This link sums up the facts pretty well:
http://www.raising-chickens.org/california-white.html