Which breeds have you had good egg production from?

[sealer39]

I also hope that the 5 Welsummers I have in the brooder will be as good as others say. I’m sure everyone will like dark speckled eggs.

 

[SueT]

I have three brown leghorns, 3 yrs old, and I'm getting 2-3 eggs a day from them. They are good free-rangers, they have street smarts regarding predators. I don't handle them, hens that make good pets don't do as well free ranging. Altho they aren't skittish around me, they do keep to themselves.

 

[Alexandra33]

Thank you for your reply! Did you find that the Leghorns are skittish, unfriendly, etc...???
How many eggs are you getting per week? Thanks!

You're so welcome!

Actually, my Leghorns are quite docile. One runs in front of me only to squat and be petted. It seems to be part of her routine.

Honestly....I have so many birds and get so many eggs, it's difficult to say with certainty. I'd estimate I get around 5-6 eggs a week from them during the warm months.

 

[LittleRedCoopLady]

I edited my first post.
They don’t like to be held but I’ve never had one I would consider flighty. They are just good chickens I my book. I’m getting to the point that I don’t like friendly chickens anyway. I have three Speckled Sussex and they are constantly under my feet. My WL will stay just out of my reach which means I’m not tripping over them all the time.
If I ever had to pick one chicken to keep it would be 4 WL. But right now I’m selling eggs so I’m keeping chickens to give me all the colors.

That's great info! Thanks! Just out of curiosity what are your other breeds and how many chickens do you have. I'm trying to get as much info as I can! There is definitely a market for eggs in my area, so I'm curious as to all the ins and outs of it!

 

[LittleRedCoopLady]

I have three brown leghorns, 3 yrs old, and I'm getting 2-3 eggs a day from them. They are good free-rangers, they have street smarts regarding predators. I don't handle them, hens that make good pets don't do as well free ranging. Altho they aren't skittish around me, they do keep to themselves.
View attachment 2109678

I'm fairly new to the chicken scene, just three years in, and I'm still learning A LOT, so I'm sure this will sound like a silly question, but how do you dust the skittish ones that you can't catch for mites/lice?

 

[sealer39]

That's great info! Thanks! Just out of curiosity what are your other breeds and how many chickens do you have. I'm trying to get as much info as I can! There is definitely a market for eggs in my area, so I'm curious as to all the ins and outs of it!

My layers are 2-WL, 6-EE, 3-SS, 3-French Black Copper Marans and one Production Blue.
Brooding, to begin laying in June are: 5-Welsummers, 3-WL and 3-Ameraucanas (one Blue and two Black)

Plus my EE avatar and a Welsummer cockerel.

 

[sealer39]

I'm fairly new to the chicken scene, just three years in, and I'm still learning A LOT, so I'm sure this will sound like a silly question, but how do you dust the skittish ones that you can't catch for mites/lice?

Catch them at night.

 

[LittleRedCoopLady]

My layers are 2-WL, 6-EE, 3-SS, 3-French Black Copper Marans and one Production Blue.
Brooding, to begin laying in June are: 5-Welsummers, 3-WL and 3-Ameraucanas (one Blue and two Black)

Plus my EE avatar and a Welsummer cockerel.

That sounds like a very colorful egg basket! I love it! So, with your 15 hens how many eggs are you getting per week? How many people are you able to sell to per week?

 

[Eric R]

My flock free ranges all day so that said I love my white spangled Hamburg. She is beautiful, finds her own food, lays almost every day and the eggs are a satin white color and medium size. Bantam eggs are too small and my leghorn eggs are enormous so the Hamburg eggs are just right.

 

[sealer39]

That sounds like a very colorful egg basket! I love it! So, with your 15 hens how many eggs are you getting per week? How many people are you able to sell to per week?

I average 70 eggs a week. I sell eggs by the dozen that weigh at least 24oz. (The weight of store bought large dozen eggs). I’m actually making a profit at this point. You need to consider feed to egg ratio. WL are egg laying machines but they don’t eat much. Other breeds eat A LOT with fewer eggs so the feed cost goes up. Just because I have those breeds doesn’t mean that is the best way to go. I’m looking to get rid of the SS and find another breed that will lay large light brown eggs like the Golden Comets. I’m about to have three coops going, one white layers, one speckled brown/dark brown layers and the last for the colored layers.