Which breed layes largest brown eggs?

[SFBayArea]

I've read many good things about Rhode Island Red and Black Giant, however, some sites show RIR laying XL eggs and some show just L. Same thing with Black Giant.

I want chickens for their eggs. I am sure they will become my pets, but for now my mind set on getting a breed that I can awe people with the size and color of the eggs they lay (yes I know I should have considered Ostrich )

Any other breeds you can suggest as the XL egg layers?

 

[HS Pye]

Hi,

I'd choose the RIR for the largest brown egg. Never heard of a bigger brown egg layer. They also lay much more than the Jersey Giant.

HS Pye

 

[Alaskan]

My leghorns lay by far the largest eggs! Much larger than my Rhode Island Reds (but mine are actually Production Reds). Of course, Leghorns lay white eggs.

I used to be a "brown egg layers only" person, but I must say, that a few white eggs next to the brown ones make the brown eggs even prettier.

With all of that said, I would buy one leghorn pullet and two Rhode Island Red pullets and one Welsummer pullet (they are better layers than the Marans, usually have more speckles on the eggs which will always get wows, and also lay very large very dark brown eggs).

The Leghorn will probably start laying first, lay almost every day for a year, slow a bit in year two, and then slow lots more. The Rhode Island Reds and the Welsummer will start a little slower, and will never be every day layers, but their production shouldn't slow down as quickly either.

The Rhode Island Reds will lay better than the Welsummer.


OK, that was my two cents!

 

[donrae]

My red sex links have always laid the largest eggs, the ones I literally can't close the carton on.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have some ISA browns who lay a jumbo deep brown egg. The hatchery RIR are actually production reds, not really pure RIR. The old fashioned deep mahogany RIR are rare, and they lay more like 3 days a week, as opposed to 6-7 days a week that the production reds do, but they are much more docile and unagressive birds.

 

[SFBayArea]

Guys, the more I learn the more I understand I don't know. I thought that production red is a breed. I think not. So what does production red means?

 

[Alaskan]

Many rhode island reds have been bred with a focus only on production, with no thought for temperament, long term health, and only a little thought for color.

The result is that most rhode island reds that you get from hatcheries are actually production reds, which tend to be more aggressive (not always a marked difference with the hens, but definitely with the roosters), lay lots more and start to lay sooner. But, these birds also tend to have more problems (like becoming egg bound) and their wonderful production tends to drop like a rock after year two.

When a hatchery sells both Production Reds and Rhode Island Reds, the ones marked as Production Reds will be fully Production Reds, and the ones marked as Rhode Island Reds will be maybe sorta Production Reds.

A true old fashioned Rhode Island Red is usually marketed as "Heritage Rhode Island Reds". And, they will definitely look like a completely different breed. The Heritage RIR are such a dark red that there is a mahogany cast to it, almost black and they have an almost horizontal tail. Most hatchery RIR have at least some Production Red, and so will be a bright red with an upright tail.


Soooooooo"............. Production Reds started out as Rhode Island Reds but with lots of selective breeding, they are now something different, but that is why there is so much confusion..

 

[SFBayArea]

Thank you Alaskan for great explanation.
So, true RIR are rare to find if any plus based on this thread they may not be biggest brown egg layers after all?
Also, ISA layers seen to be production too?
So is there even such thing as jumbo brown egg layer hen?

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

If you dont mind replacing your hens every 1-2 years then a Red Sex-Link is your best bet...if you want to keep your hens for 2+ year and still have them be productive a dual purpose breed you be your best choice. Wyandotte, Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks ect.

PS: I would highly recommend if you do want to keep them as pets but would still like them to lay even in their last months to get Heritage breeds from reputable breeders instead of hatcheries!

I raise Heritage Orpingtons. they begin laying at 6 months and will continue to lay for 4+ years and if they stay healthy/ not eaten by a predator they will live for 8+ years!

 

[Alaskan]

Thank you Alaskan for great explanation.
So, true RIR are rare to find if any plus based on this thread they may not be biggest brown egg layers after all?
Also, ISA layers seen to be production too?
So is there even such thing as jumbo brown egg layer hen?

ISA layers are just a mutt breed, that is bred to be a great super layer, just like Golden Comets or Red Stars, Black Starts or whatever.

The RIR you get from a hatchery probably will lay wonderful nice brown very large eggs.

Check the breed description on the hatchery you are buying from, since different people will have different strains.

So, I just looked at my eggs again (I have 2 hatchery RIR, 2 Golden Comets, 5 White Leghorns, and some other breeds). Unfortunately, I can't tell the RIR eggs from the Golden Comet eggs. But, the brown eggs are super large looking. The carton I am looking at, i think the brown ones do average larger than the white ones. Unfortunately I don't have one of those cute egg scales, so I don't know what they actually rate as.