Whats the best chickens for eggs?

[Sylvester017]

I'll get working on the breeding program.. starting with finding a hen that lays 2 eggs a day, I've heard of them. Anyone got one to loan me?

Only ever had one hen that once layed 2 eggs in one day and it was our prolific White Leghorn - we knew they were her eggs because the other hens were colored egg layers.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow that's awesome!

 

[Leigti]

^^This is very interesting, I have only read about how much chickens lay, but it does not seem that literature takes into consideration how **long** they lay for! I would think that for many backyard chicken keepers, myself included, older hens will be kept, so length of lay is just as if not more important than rate of lay. Thank you Azygous for this insight.

I agree, I think long Jevity is important. That's why I don't provide artificial light in the winter. I want my chickens to lay on a natural schedule and not burn out quickly. I do plan to keep my chickens until they die naturally, but getting eggs from them for more than a year or two is a great bonus.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I'll get working on the breeding program.. starting with finding a hen that lays 2 eggs a day, I've heard of them. Anyone got one to loan me?

Once you find her, every rooster that hatches from her eggs...is a keeper.

 

[Shezadandy]

Here are some numbers from our flock- hatched 10-19, 2 of each breed.
The two that started laying first are still laying the smallest eggs- small and mediums.
The Easter Eggers consistently give large eggs as do the Australorps, one of the Barred Rocks and one of the Speckled Sussex. The Buffs have given us many eggs, but they are usually small to medium.

Easter Eggers
#1. Laid first egg @ 161 days, 57 eggs in 81 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 151 days, 70 eggs in 91 days

Speckled Sussex
#1. Laid first egg @ 140 days, 71 eggs in 102 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 190 days, 36 eggs in 52 days

Barred Rocks
#1. Laid first egg @ 155 days, 52 eggs in 55 days, then went broody and hatched eggs, now raising them
#2. Laid first egg @ 160 days, 67 eggs in 82 days

Black Australorps
#1. Laid first egg @ 145 days, 72 eggs in 97 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 148 days, 67 eggs in 94 days

Buff Orps:
#1. Laid first egg @ 142 days, 87 eggs in 100 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 161 days, 65 eggs in 81 days

 

[Sylvester017]

Here are some numbers from our flock- hatched 10-19, 2 of each breed.
The two that started laying first are still laying the smallest eggs- small and mediums.
The Easter Eggers consistently give large eggs as do the Australorps, one of the Barred Rocks and one of the Speckled Sussex. The Buffs have given us many eggs, but they are usually small to medium.

Easter Eggers
#1. Laid first egg @ 161 days, 57 eggs in 81 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 151 days, 70 eggs in 91 days

Speckled Sussex
#1. Laid first egg @ 140 days, 71 eggs in 102 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 190 days, 36 eggs in 52 days

Barred Rocks
#1. Laid first egg @ 155 days, 52 eggs in 55 days, then went broody and hatched eggs, now raising them
#2. Laid first egg @ 160 days, 67 eggs in 82 days

Black Australorps
#1. Laid first egg @ 145 days, 72 eggs in 97 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 148 days, 67 eggs in 94 days

Buff Orps:
#1. Laid first egg @ 142 days, 87 eggs in 100 days
#2. Laid first egg @ 161 days, 65 eggs in 81 days

If my math figures are correct it seems the EEs are not as good layers as your other dynamos but EEs are a way to add some pretty colors to the egg basket. I decided not to add any more blue layers to my flock after we had to put down our sweet Blue Wheaten Ameraucana. Not because she was not a production bird but because her extremely downy feathers collected mud like a magnet and her tush feathers always needed shampooing because of the over-fluffy vent. Her thick down was problematic in our heatwaves and she did much better in cooler or rainy conditions. She was klutzy and jittery and not meaning to she dashed out of the nestbox after laying her egg and injured a Silkie knocking it off the nestbox ledge. She was a nervous hyper-sensitive Amer and after watching my friend's EEs they aren't much different. Her EEs are the least productive of her breeds. She has to keep 3 EEs to equal production of one of her laying breeds like Buff Orp, Leghorn, Hybrids, and Sexlinks. Our Marans were not good production birds but then like EEs you keep them for the unusual colors they lay.

 

[Shezadandy]

If my math figures are correct it seems the EEs are not as good layers as your other dynamos but EEs are a way to add some pretty colors to the egg basket. I decided not to add any more blue layers to my flock after we had to put down our sweet Blue Wheaten Ameraucana. Not because she was not a production bird but because her extremely downy feathers collected mud like a magnet and her tush feathers always needed shampooing because of the over-fluffy vent. Her thick down was problematic in our heatwaves and she did much better in cooler or rainy conditions. She was klutzy and jittery and not meaning to she dashed out of the nestbox after laying her egg and injured a Silkie knocking it off the nestbox ledge. She was a nervous hyper-sensitive Amer and after watching my friend's EEs they aren't much different. Her EEs are the least productive of her breeds. She has to keep 3 EEs to equal production of one of her laying breeds like Buff Orp, Leghorn, Hybrids, and Sexlinks. Our Marans were not good production birds but then like EEs you keep them for the unusual colors they lay.

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your girl!

As for the EE's .. Yes- they are there mostly for color. Size wise they're consistently giving me large eggs (pink and green) and doing 'enough' but yes, longer 'vacations' than some of the others take, but the colors help sell eggs. When the EEs first started laying they would aim for the narrowest place to squeeze into to lay their eggs- one is the 2nd lowest bird, the other is mid-pack. No issues with rushing off or damaging eggs, but they go for the funkiest, hard to reach, short box (which was made to suit them, other boxes are much bigger)-- they like the top right. We've got 2 MPC Super Blue Egg layer pullets that are supposed to do 5-6 large blue per week. They're 10 weeks now so we'll see how they do, probably better than the EE's as they likely have leghorn in that cross somewhere. We also got a cockerel who is much different looking from the pullets- first we'll see if he's a nice bird to have around after the hormones hit before considering how he might fit.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

The best white egg layer is a leghorn
The best brown egg layer is a hybrid mixed breed known by a lot of different names... Golden buff, red sex link, red star, golden comet, etc.
The best dual purpose layer is an Australorp
The best blue egg layer is a super blue egg layer (leghorn/ameraucana mix)

Some breeds do better under certain conditions. Leghorns are better in hot weather. Small-combed birds like most blue egg layers are better in cold weather. A more heritage based bird like an australorp will do better free ranging over a large space. Birds that lay more eggs in a year lay for fewer years as well. Extreme egg laying champs (leghorns, golden hybrids) also tend to have a greater chance of prolapse and vent issues. Think about it.

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your girl!

As for the EE's .. Yes- they are there mostly for color. Size wise they're consistently giving me large eggs (pink and green) and doing 'enough' but yes, longer 'vacations' than some of the others take, but the colors help sell eggs. When the EEs first started laying they would aim for the narrowest place to squeeze into to lay their eggs- one is the 2nd lowest bird, the other is mid-pack. No issues with rushing off or damaging eggs, but they go for the funkiest, hard to reach, short box (which was made to suit them, other boxes are much bigger)-- they like the top right. We've got 2 MPC Super Blue Egg layer pullets that are supposed to do 5-6 large blue per week. They're 10 weeks now so we'll see how they do, probably better than the EE's as they likely have leghorn in that cross somewhere. We also got a cockerel who is much different looking from the pullets- first we'll see if he's a nice bird to have around after the hormones hit before considering how he might fit.

Your birds are too pretty to be EEs !!!! The blue is quiet unique. Cockerels can be pesty and probably shouldn't be around pullets until they or the pullets mature. Cockerels can really get beat up by the girls until they get past their first year. My friend had two cockerels that were mercilessly chased by the mature hens so she had to separate them out -- but it was kinda funny to watch!

 

[Sylvester017]

The best white egg layer is a leghorn
The best brown egg layer is a hybrid mixed breed known by a lot of different names... Golden buff, red sex link, red star, golden comet, etc.
The best dual purpose layer is an Australorp
The best blue egg layer is a super blue egg layer (leghorn/ameraucana mix)

Some breeds do better under certain conditions. Leghorns are better in hot weather. Small-combed birds like most blue egg layers are better in cold weather. A more heritage based bird like an australorp will do better free ranging over a large space. Birds that lay more eggs in a year lay for fewer years as well. Extreme egg laying champs (leghorns, golden hybrids) also tend to have a greater chance of prolapse and vent issues. Think about it.

All true! And the extreme laying champs - especially the White Leghorn - is 45% highly prone to not only reproductive issues but ovarian cancers which is why they are used widely for cancer research. If the extreme layer lives healthy past its 4th year it will continue to lay well into its 8th year taking into consideration the hen will lay 20% less eggs each year compared to each prior year.