what breed is best?

[booklover]

so I've had chickens for three years, and my hens are just too old to lay enough to keep up with my demands. I want to get some layers but I want the best layers possible - and not leghorns, I'd like brown or blue eggs. I've heard isa brown are good, and I've gotten RSL and BSL before. what breed is best for laying?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I always go for the less productive breeds, & have a good amount of hens. They lay alot longer. I have an 7-8 year old Mille Fleur D'uccle hen that still lays eggs. Just not now since it's winter.

I have 35 laying hens, of various breeds, & mixes.(No Production Hybrids)

 

[MysteryChicken]

Purebreds I have that are great layers are:
Buff Orpingtons

Heritage Plymouth Barred Rocks

Brahmas(Mine are taking a winter break)

Easter Eggers(Taking a break)

Old English Game Bantam

Golden Sebright

Project Wheaten Crele Orpingtons(Discontinued)

CrackerFowl hens.

Silkies

Mixed Breed hens:
Buff Orpington/Australorp

Brahma/Easter Egger

Porcelain D'uccle/Silkie

CrackerFowl/Silkie

Japanese bantam mix

OEGB/Mille Fleur D'uccle X OEGB

Marans/Gamefowl X Project Wheaten Crele Orpington

Buff Orpington/Barred Rock X RIR

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I always go for the less productive breeds, & have a good amount of hens. They lay alot longer. I have an 7-8 year old Mille Fleur D'uccle hen that still lays eggs. Just not now since it's winter.

I have 35 laying hens, of various breeds, & mixes.(No Production Hybrids)

Over time I've come to share the same opinion. I like breeds that lay less frequently, but lay for a longer period of time. My oldest girls are brahmas. They are both six and both still laying good quality eggs as of this summer! I even hatched a couple of babies from them. I have leghorns too, but they are about two years old now and lay the wackiest eggs. Their egg quality just plummeted. Huge, misshapen, thin-shelled eggs with runny whites. Same thing can happen with other egg laying hybrids. I'd say my barred rock was my best layer. She had the longest laying season, laid frequently and laid large eggs. She was the last to molt. Sadly she passed away too young, of an unknown cause that was not likely reproductive-related, so I can't speak for the duration of her laying abilities. She was also a sweet, friendly girl who was willing to be picked up. Great for kids (and same with the brahmas).

 

[MysteryChicken]

Over time I've come to share the same opinion. I like breeds that lay less frequently, but lay for a longer period of time. My oldest girls are brahmas. They are both six and both still laying good quality eggs as off this summer! I even hatched a couple of babies from them. I have leghorns too, but they are about two years old now and lay the wackiest eggs. Their egg quality just plummeted. Huge, misshapen, thin-shelled eggs with runny whites. Same thing can happen with other egg laying hybrids. I'd say my barred rock was my best layer. She had the longest laying season, laid frequently and laid large eggs. She was the last to molt. Sadly she passed away too young, of an unknown cause that was not likely reproductive-related, so I can't speak for the duration of her laying abilities. She was also a sweet, friendly girl who was willing to be picked up. Great for kids.

We had Leghorns with our very first batch of chickens. We were just starting out, & my grandpa decided we needed to butcher the entire flock after 2yrs, & start over in the spring. We did this for a few years, before I started researching chickens, & learned they can lay longer then two years.
Things have now changed since my research.

 

[Cecisflock]

Brahmas(Mine are taking a winter break)

Same here!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

We had Leghorns with our very first batch of chickens. We were just starting out, & my grandpa decided we needed to butcher the entire flock after 2yrs, & start over in the spring. We did this for a few years, before I started researching chickens, & learned they can lay longer then two years.
Things have now changed since my research.

I never butcher my egg layers, but I do believe I'll lose the leghorns to reproductive issues before I lose them naturally. They were ex battery hens and integrated remarkably well with the flock though. They are weirdly friendly, too considering their past life. They are the most likely to be punted across the yard because they are always under my feet. Like I said, they still lay, but shell quality has plummeted. They gorge on oyster shells and are on "hearty hen" layer feed, too, so I don't believe it's due to feed or calcium issues.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I never butcher my egg layers, but I do believe I'll lose the leghorns to reproductive issues before I lose them naturally. They were ex battery hens and integrated remarkably well with the flock though. They are weirdly friendly, too considering their past life. They are the most likely to be punted across the yard because they are always under my feet. Like I said, they still lay, but shell quality has plummeted. They gorge on oyster shells and are on "hearty hen" layer feed, too, so I don't believe it's due to feed or calcium issues.

I only butcher certain layers, like if they're getting too old, slow down to nearly no eggs, or they're just birds I don't want to keep for breeding.

 

[Windrider]

so I've had chickens for three years, and my hens are just too old to lay enough to keep up with my demands. I want to get some layers but I want the best layers possible - and not leghorns, I'd like brown or blue eggs. I've heard isa brown are good, and I've gotten RSL and BSL before. what breed is best for laying?

You've got good info from others here, but let me put the info in a more succinct format. You've got a choice:

1. Go with Production breeds (Leghorn, Production Red) or Hybrids (RSL, BSL, any of the Sexlinks, etc). You will get a great many eggs for a year or maybe two, but will need to renew the flock whole or partially after then to keep egg production up.

2. Go with "Heritage" breeds or non-production breeds. You'll get less eggs yearly from the same number of chickens as above, but they will lay reasonably well for a great many more years.

3. Go with a mix of both. Many people who want a good number of eggs consistently regularly rotate in new chickens every season and cull the oldest ones, so they always have a mix of of ages at their most productive.

 

[Cecisflock]

2. Go with "Heritage" breeds or non-production breeds. You'll get less eggs yearly from the same number of chickens as above, but they will lay reasonably well for a great many more years.

I think that is good advice. Great to see another collie person too!