Which breed is most economical to feed?

[Bandana]

Has anyone noticed if a certain breed seems to have a higher rate of egg production, etc., to feed ratio? Asking before I order eggs to incubate for some economically challenged folks in my area. TIA.

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

Commercial Leghorns and Sexlinks are probably the best Feed to Egg ratio The leghorns are the best. Sexlinks take a little more feed.

 

[patandchickens]

My understanding is that Leghorns have the best feed-to-egg conversion rate, i.e. you spend less on feed per eggs produced, than any other breed, with high-performance sexlinks coming in second and everything else fairly far back. Leghorns have the leghorn temperament of course; OTOH you can breed 'em yourself once you have them, with predictably high-performance results, which is not so true of sexlinks.

Also the foregoing is only necessarily true if you get rid of the birds after 2 or 2 1/2 yrs and start a new flock - if you're talking cost per egg over full natural lifetime, I have no idea and I doubt anyone else would either since lines (and individual birds) vary soooooo much.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[flakey chick]

If small eggs are ok, you might consider quail. Quail are supposed to have the better feed to egg conversion ratio than chickens. There eggs are about the same size as bantams.

 

[lovemychix]

I think any smaller breed does better. I had some laying hens and they ate so much.

 

[greyfields]

Leghorns

 

[Bandana]

So far Leghorns have the vote, but what is meant by "the leghorn temperament?"

 

[chickens4jojo]

A leghorn is very flighty and usually not the "friendly type." But some people say they love theirs.... I did not... Mine have a new home as of two days ago as I really like friendlier birds to have in my yard. But that is just me.

 

[Bandana]

OK. That's something to take into consideration. Thank you.

 

[All about the EGG]

Sex links seem to do ok. We have 5, and go thru a 50lb bag a month or so. They do get out around the yard, but not all day. They are very friendly, and we get 5 large, brown eggs a day!