I can't say I think the Swedish Flowers are any prettier than Speckled Sussex. Every new breed or variety does so well at first and then it levels off some. Unless, of course, I own it!
Then it never does well!
Oh, on the older laying hens. I have some Buff Orps that are going on 4 that are not such good layers (2 eggs a week) anymore but I also have some Partridge Rocks that are going on 4 and they lay 4 eggs a week, most weeks.
The more eggs the girls put out to start with the less they will give you in later years. Yes, chickens are born with a certain amount of eggs in them but how fast they shoot them out is the result of how long they lay. If they start off giving you 6 eggs a week for the first 2 years like sex links then you will have a hen not laying after 2 years old well enough to earn her keep.
You take ladies like the Jersey Giants that lay 4 nice big eggs a week after they have been laying 5-6 eggs for the first 6 months of their life then you will get eggs from them until they are 4 or 5 years old. Big ones, too!
I also have 2 EE girls that are 3 this year. One is laying nicely and the other not so well. But she gave a lot of her eggs the first 2 years whereas the other lady was slow to lay every week. It always depends on breed and even the specific hen.
Nutrition is another part. I talked to someone the other day that said they were getting a good many eggs from their birds and were so happy. I found out they only feed scratch to the poor animals. They think they lay well with that. I just wondered what they would think of egg production if they were to let them out to free range and fed them a proper diet!
BTW, I am getting 19 duck eggs every day from 24 ducks and my free range flock of 44 hens is giving me 36 eggs. Not to mention my breeder birds but I seldom sell those for eating eggs. All I gotta say is...Watch out poor folks! Here come da eggs!
