What breed of chicken does not burn out after 2 years of laying?

[Melabella]

You have a choice, get more eggs in the first two-three years and get a few for years after that or get a few for their whole lifetime. When they are laying well with light in the first 2-3 years, they can almost pay for themselves. Later on you have the choice of fewer eggs either way. I had a barred rock that was lighted for her whole life and still laid 3-4 eggs in her 8th year. Lighting is a personal choice, but I think the whole burning out thing is obsessed over here. It's a whole different thing as to whether you have chickens for eggs, breeding or for pets. I'll take they more eggs in the first few years, as it has worked for almost 20 years.

sounds as if one would want eggs, and for more than 2 years, Barred Rocks should definetly be in your flock!

MB

 

[speckledhen]

I wonder if you being in a slightyl warmer climate may attribute to this. What is your thoughts on that Specledhen?

I love your description of your chickens, especially Fern. She sounds lovely. I hope my Kate is like that. learning, learning, learning. Love it!
Here is Kate 11 weeks old.

Thanks for the information!
MB

Attribute to what? Internal laying? Not sure what you are referring to, but if you meant that, no, the climate has nothing to do with it. That is genetic/hormone based. Your Kate is pretty. I had a Kate once who was half BR, but her sire was a Cochin/Silkie cross. Fern is a mess. She was raised by a broody bantam Cochin hen as a lone chick and had no real peer group. My Delaware rooster despises her, even runs her away from the food. She insists on sleeping in the nest box in spite of the fact that no one really bothers her, but she's our Fern.

I've always had the best luck with BRs as layers for consistency, as much as any RIR I ever owned and I've had both hatchery types and the dark, huge, true RIR hens. Can't do better than an egg a day!

As I mentioned, I've lost probably 13-14 hens to egg yolk peritonitis and/or internal laying. After you've lost hen up on hen upon hen to reproductive malfunctions, you don't want to do anything that may add to that in any way, shape or form. I don't know that lighting would do that, but I will not take the chance. It just isn't worth it and I don't need to push them beyond what their bodies do naturally. Mine still lay in winter, even without extra light, just at a slightly reduced rate, but no more reduced than in the dead heat of summer.

Since most all of my direct-from-the-hatchery hens are now deceased, I probably will see fewer instances of reproductive malfunctions in the future.