suggestions for good, efficient laying breed for spring? (w/leghorn Q)

[patandchickens]

The 'what breed would you not have again' thread makes me think it'd be good to get input on this before I get too far advanced in mulling things over

I am quite happy with my speckled sussexes and will be keeping them to work on, long-term. I want to noodge them towards decent laying and towards reaching as good a body size as possible within the first 16 wks, as spares are intended for the kitchen.

But the ISA Browns are almost gone now

; the campines were too <circles finger next to head> for me although if I could free range a flock they'd probably have been great; and the buff chanteclers are just not my thing.

I want something that will be a fairly efficient producer of eggs -- like, not eat mountains of feed in comparison to eggs produced -- and do so for some years (unlike the ISA Browns) and breed true (so no sexlinks in general). Smallish is quite ok, as the sussexes will take care of table needs. They do not have to be lap chickens but they DO have to tolerate being confined in a large coop and run without being so freakin' CRAZY all the time <aargh!> and picking on each other and generally needing to switch to decaf, like the campines were. Also, we get Cold Winters up here so no great big floppy combs.

Rosecomb leghorns sound appealing in many ways, but will they just be intolerably crazy and tasmanian-devil-y like the campines were? Easter eggers sound appealing too, if I could find a source of a line that lays really well. What do you think? Wanna suggest another option I should think about?

Thanks,

Pat, requiring a long running start to reach decisions like this so I need to start thinking about it *now*

 

[herechickchick]

I would not get Easter Eggers or Leghorns. I ADORE the Rose Combed Rhode Island Red, my girl Josephine is sweet and quiet and does not mid the pen at all. I agree about the Sussex, they are wonderful. If you want a blue egg layer I love true Araucana, you could keep a pen of mixed colors (feather colors). They lay well, have pea combs and are fine with containment they just like to sleep high.

 

[al6517]

I like the Barred Rock, good looking, well behaved, tolerant, great layer. A good all round choice.

AL

 

[Rosecomb-Ryan]

I agree barred Rocks are the best

 

[AtRendeAcres]

I have to say my EE are great layers
I love their Pea comb!!!
they are calm mine just don't really won't to be held but, will tolerate it!
they deal with confinement well!
they will lay well into November with out extra light!

 

[patandchickens]

I have nothing against RIR or BR it's just that they'd end up eating a lot of feed for the eggs they produced, wouldn't they, as they are not the most petite of birds?

I'm really looking for something that will be a good economical layer...

Pat

 

[ODS-n-ENS FARM]

Take a look @ "henderson's chart" http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html I used it before placing my last chick order. I wanted dark brown eggs. I ordered welsummers instead of marans because they are "economical eater" and lay as well as marans. ETA leghorns are listed as an economical eater.

 

[lovemychix]

My red stars do well!! Jumbo eggs!

 

[Jubaby]

My EE's are laying great. And are nice calm birds. Plus I like the green/blue eggs.

I have some Wyandottes that are pretty mean, picking on other chickens. And my campines are skittish, too.

I have two silver lakenvelders that are sweet little chickens, but their eggs are very small so far.

Can't beat those big brown eggs, from the barred rocks and buff opringtons.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I wouldn't get leghorns if you don't want whacko birds. I hear they are quite flighty.

Honestly, I can't think of a single bird off hand that would meet your needs. I'd go for the red sex-link, but you want them to breed true so that's out. The others I can think of just aren't good layers. If you got an EEer, they don't lay as often as BR's so that's not a good feed conversion. You'd be better off with the BR. Good luck!