Topic: What hen breed is best for laying

[kt.]

As my Bantams are to be replaced, I have looked at some breeds and have come up with these few:

1) Black Rock hybrid - lays up to 280 eggs per year.
2) Goldline - lays up to 320 large eggs per year
3) White Star - lays up to 320 white eggs per year
4) H&N Brown Nick - lays up to 350-360 eggs per year
5) Redcos (Calder Rangers) - Dont know

I dont know how long each of these breeds will lay but it is maximum egg production I am after so the longer the better. I have heard some breeds now aly up to 4 years apparently?? 

Any expert opinions on these or any similar breeds would be most welcome. (On 7 July I am going to a livestock market to purchase.)

[OliveOil]

black rock time and time again! My black rocks lay more than 280 a year... also speckledy are excellent layers too.

white stars are complete nutters, very flighty and they can fly even with a clipped wing - steer clear unless you want hassle.  Also I found the eggs werent very big

[Jeannine]

I adored my Buff Orpingtons, they were big, gentle and sweet, they were sort of layed back relaxed chickens if that makes any sense. Dual production bird eggs/meat although in our case it was just eggs. We incubated the eggs and found the chicks fetched more money at market than most other birds. I can't have chickens anymore but I wold replace them in a second if I could XX Jeannine

[Marymary]

I don't know what my big girsl are but they are big & brown hybrids & they lay an egg a day most days, never go broody, are friendly & very sweet & their eggs get bigger & bigger as they get older.  Love them to bits.  :)

[OliveOil]

Just read that you are going to livestock market to purchase.

The markets i have been to have only ever sold purebreeds or the hybrids which have stopped laying...

http://www.cyril-bason.co.uk/about.htm

theres another supplier as well... cant remember what they are called.

[glow777]

we spend a little more per bird, usually getting black rocks from a breeders near us but they are fully vaccinated and dont come with any nasties attached. We pay about £7 for a BR at point of lay and they lay thru the first year and have a month off the second year at Xmas! Pretty much a big egg every day - we get 8 eggs from 10 hens (though some are not BRs). Beware some other varieties stop laying after a couple of years and if you dont notice you end up feeding hens for nothing.

BTW they say the most economical way to keep hens is to buy a bunch of browns from a market at POL for £1 each. Keep them till November - when production decreases with lack of light. Then neck em, eat em and buy some more POL's in January. younger hens eat less. I dont agree with this I think its a bit unfair on the hen!

[kt.]

Black Rocks seem to be the peoples choice from threads here. How long do they lay? Do they lay for only 12-18months like most others? I have heard some breeds lay for up to 4 years now. Is this one?

[Marymary]

My oldest brown hens are now over 4 years old & still laying - enormous eggs.

[prink13]

I love my new Buff Orpingtons, and as Jeanine says they are dopey and friendly. Not laying yet, so can;t tell you how many eggs, but definately cute (and of course I greww up in Orpington, and drank in "the Buff" pub! :o

Kathi

[Jeannine]

Thay are good layers of very big eggs

[Yorkshire Rose]

I've always got the most from Warrens (an egg each 365 days a year) but the Silkies who don't lay loads per week seem go for ever...I get about half a dozen a week this time of year from 4 girls and they are about 5 years old now

[DadnDom]

I bought my first 4 hens a week ago. I got 3 warrens and a brahma. I have had one egg almost every day off the brahma and nothing off the warrens as of yet. 

[OliveOil]

where did you get the warrens? Are you sure its the brahma laying every day - that is quite unusual for brahma.

Your warrens may just be point of lay so they should be laying soon.. you can check by feeling the pelvic bones... if you can only fit a thumb between them then they arent ready, if you can fit 3-4 fingers between the bones then they are ready to lay... also their combs will redden.

[DadnDom]

We got them from a country fair at Bodelwyddan Castle last weekend.

Yes it's deffinately the brahma laying. She makes herself a hollow in ths straw on the floor and lays them in there rather than the nest box and she lays at about midday. She layed 2 eggs the other day :)
Will have a look at the warrens later :)Their combs are still quite pale.

[kt.]

Got 12 hens today. £54 for all 12 from a breeder so I am well pleased with the price. I could of waited till mid August and bought them at the point of lay but I miss them in my allotment. 6 FENNING WHITE, sometimes known as white leghorns. 12 weeks old. They lay pure white eggs 11 months of the year for up to  4-5 years. They are a pure white hen other than a red crest and beak. 6 BLACK ROCK, 8-9 weeks old.......Just looking forward to the eggs now.

 

[OliveOil]

You got a bargain there!!!  Hope they lay well for you !