What breed for egg laying?

[WindingRoad]

For egg laying in a warmer climate leghorns are the best. You can also get sex links. They go by many names, and lay well for a season or two.

x3 on white leghorns. I have 5 gonna get 10 more. They are "factory" Layers IMHO.

 

[nashua]

Has anyone had experience with the Cream Legbar?

 

[nashua]

I second the Sussex and Easter Egger pick I am in New Mexico and the Speckled Sussex that I had did very well, I also had 3 New Hampshire Reds they were amazing they layed about 4-5 medium to large brown eggs a week and did great. Another breed that is harder to get is the Crested Cream Legbars or Cream Legbars. I do not know if they do particularly well in your winter but they did fine in NM, their temperament is like the leghorns, but they lay about 5 medium to large bright blue eggs a week, and you can breed them to get Olive Eggers

This is exactly what I wanted to know. I am in So California, so have been wondering about them--wanting the blue eggs!

 

[Celticdragonfly]

My black australorp is a great layer, a bit flighty and shy. My favorite is I think a production red - some variety of New Hampshire red, she's a great layer and a sweety. My easter egger is a good layer, somewhat fewer and smaller eggs than the other two. I have plans for a Buff Orpington, a white Marans, and a speckled Sussex.

 

[Flag Pole Hatchery]

I am new to raising chickens and today I completed the finishing touches on my chicken coop and run. I am anticipating ordering my first chickens in the next few weeks but I am clueless as to what breed to purchase. For my initial chickens, I want them for egg laying. I live in central North Carolina and we have four distinct seasons -- hot summers and moderate winters. Do you have any suggestions as to what breed that I should purchase for my purpose?

 

[Flag Pole Hatchery]

I am new to raising chickens and today I completed the finishing touches on my chicken coop and run. I am anticipating ordering my first chickens in the next few weeks but I am clueless as to what breed to purchase. For my initial chickens, I want them for egg laying. I live in central North Carolina and we have four distinct seasons -- hot summers and moderate winters. Do you have any suggestions as to what breed that I should purchase for my purpose?

Isa browns are incredible egg layer. 300-350 per year/per hen.
They are auto-sexed, girls are brown and boys are born white/yellow
Nice birds, calm, climate hearty
Townline hatchery will ship them to you
Good luck!

 

[chickencoop57]

The size of egg is how I usually decide. When I bought my 3 Leghorns and 3 Rhode Island reds from Tractor Supply, about a year ago, they actually had the size of egg these hens would lay. My Leghorns lay Large eggs and my Reds X-tra. Later on I bought a couple of Orpington's, and Wyandottes, as well as two barred Rocks, for a lil variety and color. Now they lay small eggs. Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in.

 

[munchkinlover]

My Black Australorps are wonderful layers, winter or summer. They are pretty constant layers and, for me, laying 5 to 7 large eggs a week, and the only ones I have that get broody. They are sweet and gentle and good mothers. My Molly attacked my Beagle when he went after one of her babies. She won!!! Here is a pic of Molly & Rueben and the babies.

 

[roho555]

I use Novogen's for my laying hens. I live in the Willamette valley in Oregon 75 miles south of Portland and we definitely have four seasons here. They are a commercially developed pullet from France. Our local farm stores carry them twice a year. They lay an average of 5.5 eggs per week and I get two years out of most of them, 3 years from some. I can reserve the chicks I want and pick them up locally and do not have the issues with shipped birds and the added expense. I use colored size 12 & 14 (for the oldest) leg bands to tell me how old they are and when they will be culled (Cutlersupply.com). I give the culled ones to a local individual and I don't know if he resells them or he or someone else eats them (Nov's not a great meat bird).

Word of caution: Some places will state a certain breed will lay over 300 eggs, but you need to look at the number of months they are using in their statement and do the math. I found Novogens that are assessed over 17 months and Comets (also sold under other names)14 months. I looked at ISA Browns until I did the math. I you are able to let them forage for part of their feed then a mixture is good. I have ordered from Cackle hatchery before and they have a great web site with god information about each variety.

We do sell eggs to a select group of people including one person who pays extra for my Jumbo eggs as she sates that our eggs work well in her diet for her health issue.

 

[Alyssa-Bee]

If you want reliable protection, I would go with white leghorns, but it would be nice to add some other breeds as well for variety and color!