what are your favorite layers sans flighty/broody?

[samana]

In past experience my ameraucanas were bottom ranked and flighty.. and my australorps broody.

I want to avoid flighty (my neighbors dogs will be only too happy if I get a flighty breed)

And I do not want to deal with broody hens.

I am intrigued by some breeds I haven't tried yet, what do you all think of:

delaware
wyandotte
rhode island red
welsummer

Love to hear your experience on these breeds laying, broodiness, personality and flightiness! Which do you think fits the bill the best? I have room for 3.

 

[Folly's place]

I really like Wyandottes and Welsummers. Some lines of EE are calm, some not. The purebred Ameracaunas are calm. Speckled Sussex are really friendly. My white Chanteclers are terrific! I'm not a fan of RIRs or New Hamps. Salmon Favorelles are calm and sweet, but can be bullied by more aggressive birds (think New Hamps). Mary

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

RIRs are great layers, but tend to be a little anti-social at times. Only 1 out of 3 of my RIRs has ever gone broody.

I would also recommend a Barred Plymouth Rock. They are excellent layers, not flighty, and neither of mine has ever gone broody. Both the RIRs and BPRs are very curious and love to find their own treats (bugs, snow).

That has been my experiences with those breeds, but it sounds like most other chickens of those breeds have similar characteristics.

 

[samana]

I think as long as I'm prioritizing the lack of broodiness and flightiness those are my two main concerns. If they are a little cranky I can live with that haha... My family needs lots of good eggs for dietary reasons (we spend a fortune on eggs) but we are limited to 3 hens, so I don't want to lose eggs to broodiness or a dog. :/ In the past I really loved all the personalities of my chickens but right now I'm less worried about that.

Right now I'm leaning towards a silver wyandotte, a delaware and a rhode island red. Good egg production with minimal risk for broodiness or hopping a 6 ft fence?

We had barreds in the past and found them to be bullies, might just have been bad genetics though.

 

[donrae]

If you're really emphasizing production, go with a red sex link. Amazing layers, large eggs, you're sure to get a female, and they're pretty calm. One of the rarest birds to go broody.

 

[samana]

I worry with the sex link about health issues.. I had some golden sex link ('isa browns') and one died and the other always laid eggs that were huge and always misshaped.

Honestly I would get sex link for sheer egg production but I also want healthy chickens so I lean towards the heritage breeds for that reason..

 

[donrae]

Yeah, I've heard other folks have issues with the rsl, mine have always been great. Go figure.

Then again, barred Rocks have been the foundation of my flock for years, no bullies or issues. Again, go figure.

I don't have much experience with hatchery RIRs, but have heard lots and lots of stories on these boards over the years about them being temperamental.

I've had wyandottes, I think they're great birds. One slw in particular won't leave my green crocs alone when I go in the run.

Don't have Delawares, can't say.

I've had a few Welsummers, they're great birds. Out if your first list, I'd ditch the Red and add the Wellie. Plus, different colored eggs are good. I have one 3 year old Wellie who is laying right now, bless her heart.

 

[Candy442]

If you're really emphasizing production, go with a red sex link. Amazing layers, large eggs, you're sure to get a female, and they're pretty calm. One of the rarest birds to go broody.

I agree! I have three RSL's who produce an egg a day and have pretty much all through winter. They are bossy with the other birds, though. If they were the only breed we had they probably would be happy. They really are curious birds and love following us around the yard. They free range wonderfully and our lead hen of 11 pullets is a RSL. She is pretty good as a leader, but my other two pick other's feathers and bully. I had to separate the two bullies in our breeder pen because they bully our EE's who are very sweet and docile.

Healthy big girls with large/extra large medium brown eggs. Feed stores usually sell them. We got ours on sale for .50 cents a piece at TSC last year

. Showing NO signs of broody, they lay and get off the nest in no time!