What breed is better at laying?

[Mac14]

I'm getting these breeds in the spring, and was wondering what one you people thought is best at laying?

Edit: Also how many does each lay a week approx?

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

I've only had Easter Eggers, but I get like 4-5 eggs a week from them!

 

[Mac14]

I've only had Easter Eggers, but I get like 4-5 eggs a week from them!

Nice!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

If all you want is eggs, nothing beats the white leghorn. 300 eggs (25 dozen) per year per bird for the first year of laying. They lay a large white shelled egg, produced by an active and alert hen who can forage for herself and yet she eats the food you buy her like... well like she's a bird.

However, if you intend to hatch any white leghorn eggs you will need an incubator or else some other breed of hen to hover the eggs. All broodiness has been bred out of the white leghorn hen, that is one reason why they lay so many eggs.

 

[dirtsaver]

First I'll qualify my answer by saying we that of the three breeds you mention we have only had the Welsummers. We've had two groups of Wellies and both were consistent layers. If I remember correctly we were getting 3-5 eggs a week per hen. Also the Wellie eggs are good size and with the dark brown shell and sometimes chocolate speckles they really look nice.

 

[mandelyn]

Wellies are good, and the eggs are pretty too. Delaware I haven't had yet, so I can't say. The EEs can be slow to start, depends on the line. I've waited a good year before for one just to start laying. She was consistent when she finally started. Others would start right on time at 6 months. Just depends.

The bonus to the Welsummers is the camo coloring being good for free range. Of the 3, I'd get the Wellies.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I should have voted the Delaware. Easter Eggers do vary a lot as to what they were bred to and how diluted their original heritage of Amerucana to great egg layers has been. They also vary as to if they will lay in winter. The Delaware are consistent layers, lay through winter and produce on par with Plymouth Rocks. Heritage birds would be 5 eggs per week and hatchery 6-7 weeks per week.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

If all you want is eggs, nothing beats the white leghorn.  300 eggs (25 dozen) per year per bird for the first year of laying.  They lay a large white shelled egg, produced by an active and alert hen who can forage for herself and yet she eats the food you buy her like... well like she's a bird. 

However, if you intend to hatch any white leghorn eggs you will need an incubator or else some other breed of hen to hover the eggs.  All broodiness has been bred out of the white leghorn hen, that is one reason why they lay so many eggs.

I agree. I got a white leghorn hen, and she gives me HUGE white, clean eggs. Once a day. They won't even fit in the egg carton! They were bigger than the store bought eggs, and they weren't double Yorkers. All of her eggs have been perfect.

 

[Mac14]

I agree. I got a white leghorn hen, and she gives me HUGE white, clean eggs. Once a day. They won't even fit in the egg carton! They were bigger than the store bought eggs, and they weren't double Yorkers. All of her eggs have been perfect.

If all you want is eggs, nothing beats the white leghorn. 300 eggs (25 dozen) per year per bird for the first year of laying. They lay a large white shelled egg, produced by an active and alert hen who can forage for herself and yet she eats the food you buy her like... well like she's a bird.

However, if you intend to hatch any white leghorn eggs you will need an incubator or else some other breed of hen to hover the eggs. All broodiness has been bred out of the white leghorn hen, that is one reason why they lay so many eggs.

I did hear that they are considered one of the best layers, but then I read that they are not winter hardy. And I already have an Ancona (I heard that they come from leghorns) and she is very flighty and skittish. And I don't think that my feed store have them this year.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

I did hear that they are considered one of the best layers, but then I read that they are not winter hardy. And I already have an Ancona (I heard that they come from leghorns) and she is very flighty and skittish. And I don't think that my feed store have them this year.

I've heard that people think Leghorns are really mean, but mine isn't! Course she's skiddish, but all of the hens are at first for me. They calm down once I start handling them though. And right now we have a bunch of snow, but that doesn't stop her!