Are you looking for the best egg producing chicken breed for your flock? All chickens produce eggs, of course, but some breeds are more prolific than others. If you’re hoping to have eggs every day from your hens, you’ll want to make sure you have the right type.
White Leghorn
The White Leghorn is one of the most popular breeds in the world. Leghorn hens lay about 300 eggs per year. Leghorns mature early and begin laying at four to five months of age.
The eggs they lay are slightly off white in color and large. These chickens do not make good pets, however, as they are skittish around people.
White Leghorns, like most good layers, rarely go broody, so if you want to hatch out some eggs to raise chicks, you will need either another breed to set them, or an incubator.
These are warm weather hens, Leghorns can easily get frostbite in their combs in winter.
Rhode Island Red
Reds are great brown egg layers, but are aggressive.
Prone to frostbite in their combs, this breed is hardy in hot or cold climates and does well in confinement.
This breed is usually laying by five to six months of age and are productive producers of medium brown eggs.
Red Star and Black Star Sex linked
The Red and Black Star has earned the title of best laying hens, being productive layers of large eggs of brown color. These are a docile breed and make very good pets as well.
This breed will lay during the winter months and has one of the best feed to egg ratios of all breeds. These hens will begin laying as early as 4 1/2 months and will be laying daily at 6 months.
The sex-linked gene makes these chickens easy to sex at first glance at hatching, but the trait isn’t often carried into the next generation. This make its easy to keep from buying unwanted roosters.
This breed is a good choice for small egg sellers and family projects.
Roosters or No Roosters?
Roosters are not needed if you are focusing on egg laying. You will need roosters if you are planning to have fertile eggs. If you do not plan to increase your flock size or raise broilers, then you will not need a rooster.
Productivity Limits of Hens
Most hens will produce eggs until they are three to four years old. Hens will usually start to decline in egg production at about 3 years of age. These chickens are then ready for the pot for stews or chicken and dumplings.
For many, of course, these best laying chickens have become friends, so you may just put them out to pasture for the good service they have provided.
Visit Best Laying Chickens for a lot more information.
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