What tend to be the best layers?

[Daisy8s]

The ISA Brown is a phenomenal layer. Smaller bird (a little smaller than my New Hampshire Red) but lays jumbo sized eggs very consistently. Mine are two years old and still laying almost every day--yes, even through the dead of winter.

Note: I did have a small heat lamp for an injured bird in the coop so that did add some extra light through the shorter winter days.

 

[Illia]

So as you can see from the replies, ANY common and/or popular breed found at any hatchery or feedstore is a pretty good layer. That's what they are bred for these days.

 

[snooptwomey]

sex links. hands down, if you want brown eggs.

 

[azygous]

Of all my breeds, my Wyandottes are the most consistent and sustained layers of the whole bunch, and they're eye candy, too. The Speckled Sussex are also showing tremendous promise.

 

[kdem]

I know that different breeds will supposedly lay at different rates, but I really feel like the most important factor is the light and general environment. I have 4 hens, and they did not lay for weeks when they were confined to the fairly large run without any artificial lighting. One I let them free range the yard and added a few hours of light, I started getting about 6 eggs a week from each hen.

 

[snooptwomey]

My red stars have been steady since hitting 22 weeks old. EVERY day, except a few weeks right when winter started they went into a mild molt, they were laying 2 or 3 a week each for those 3 weeks, then back to EVERY day, even through the winter havent missed a beat. They always lay large-jumbo eggs. I have eggs in the incubator from them and my Ameracauna roo(my avatar pic), so hopefully they will be some pretty chickens that lay a ton of large blue, green, olive eggs But the red stars arent much to look at in my opinion, so I would trade and egg or 2 per week for something way better looking. Thats why I am hatching 2 blue laced red wyandottes, a silver laced wyandotte, and 2 auburn java's eggs right now

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Quote: By far you would want a commercially bred red sex-link or a commercially bred White Leghorn. They'll outlay anything going, do it on less feed, with better shell quality, and mature earlier than any other breed or variety.

I personally favor Murray McMurrays Pear White Leghorns and the ISA Browns from Townline Hatchery. They have become the backbone of my layer flocks.

 

[alaskamom]

Why dont you like White Leghorns?
I dont have any, just curious.

Arent Rhode Island Reds like egg machines?