The Best Chicken Breeds for Laying Farm-Fresh Eggs

It ’s hard to ignore the call of farm - fresh eggs . In an effort to make a pace toward self - sufficiency , to know where one more element of your diet get from or to summate character to your little - scale farm , you might be exploring the serious layer chicken breeds for your farm . There are C of chicken strain out there , and many of those are ideal for eggs .

Heritage vs. Hybrid Breeds

Egg - laying poulet strain tend to fall into two categories : heritage and hybrid . inheritance - stock chickens have been around since your grandparent ’ fourth dimension and often have multipurpose qualities , while intercrossed poulet are commercially developed for a specific purpose . Some layers have both a heritage strain and a smorgasbord that has been commercially breed for product — not necessarily hybrid , but commercialized — so be sure to ask your source which you ’re getting if this note count to you .

1. Heritage Chickens

“ [ Heritage ] strain were carefully selected and bred over clock time to develop trait that made them well - adapted to the local environment , and they thrived under land pattern and cultural precondition that are very different from those found in modern farming , ” according toThe Livestock Conservancy , a nonprofit organization that work to protect livestock and fowl breeds from extinction . The arrangement defines heritage chickens as those that :

2. Hybrid Chickens

Hybrid crybaby potpourri have been rise by crossing sealed breed for one trait or a solidifying of trait — in this face , primarily testicle output . Whereas inheritance - stock wimp might be good at ball laying and gist yield , intercrossed chickens will stand out at one or the other . When two hybrids are bred together , you will not get the same trait as a result , so if you test to multiply two Black Stars , for instance , you would end up with chicks that do n’t look like their parents .

The Best Breeds to Keep for Eggs

There are many factors to consider when prefer the correct bollock - place breed for you , from production to disposition and feed requirement . The stock bring up here are only a few of the many ballock - lay chicken options that you have for your backyard or small - scale farm troop . Read the basics about these top egg - lay hen , but do n’t stop your research here !

1. White Leghorns

Originally from Italy , the bed stock is considered by many to be the best bollock - put down hen around . There ’s a commercial-grade nervous strain often used in industrial - scale egg output , as well as a inheritance type . The inheritance breed lays 220 to 300 large or jumbo white orchis per year ; the commercial-grade breed lays more than 300 . The heritage White Leghorn care to scrounge in loose - ambit situation , but their white color makes them attractive to predators . The commercial type has been developed for indoor orchis production . Being from the Mediterranean , Leghorns are heat - tolerant , but their prominent combs make them prostrate to frostbite in frigid climates .

2. Rhode Island Reds

This layer chicken also has a commercial and a inheritance strain . Both do well in outdoor testicle - production system . Developed in Rhode Island , this breed lays extra - large browned eggs—250 or more each year start at 6 months of age — and adapts well to most climate . The variety with a rose cockscomb does well in cold environments than that with a single cockscomb . The heritage stock is consider a dual - determination kernel - and - bollock bird .

3. Black Stars

This is a intercrossed sex - link chicken , intend it can be sexed at the metre of hatching because females are give birth one color and males are born another . Also call a Black Sexlink , the Black Star was develop by spoil two other popular egg - pose chickens : Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds . calamitous Stars set out lay dark-brown eggs around 5 months of age and will position as many as five each week . They are stalwart in most climates .

Black Stars have interesting plume : The females are black with amber hackle and breast feathers , and the males are mordant with white barring . These are magnanimous birds and are considered by some to be dual - aim nut - bed and center birds .

4. Red Stars

Also shout out Red Sexlinks , Red Stars are also hybrid sex - link egg - layers . They initiate laying large , brown eggs at 22 weeks , and Murray McMurray Hatchery say this is its best ballock - laying stock . you could anticipate more than 250 eggs per year from these hen . They are fearless in a chain of mountains of atmospheric condition conditions and are easy to leaven . Red Star hens are reddish - browned with white throughout , and Red Star roosters are bloodless .

4. Plymouth Rocks

Also cry a Barred Rock , these egg - laying chickens a large , three-fold - purpose breed that unremarkably lie more than 200 gravid , brown eggs each twelvemonth . This breed was developed in New England and , until World War II , was the most democratic breed in the U.S. It is a base breed to the commercial broiler chickens produced today . Plymouth Rocks do well in both gratis - reach and introduce livelihood position . In extreme cold , their combs could become frostbitten .

5. Orpingtons

Orpingtons add up from England and are usually called by their color : Buff Orpington , Black Orpington , Blue Orpington or White Orpington . Buff Orpingtons are the most popular of this large , three-fold - purpose heritage breed . They lay large or spare - big eggs , though at 175 to 200 testicle per year , they ’re not as prolific as some breeds . What they lack in egg - position power , they make up for in meat production . Because they are large , Orpington do better in cool climate than in red-hot .

Where to Get Chicks

You might be overwhelmed with source of bird . you’re able to see them everywhere from Craigslist to feed stores to hatchery and stock breeder . Purchase your chicks from a reputable , disease - free source that is close to your home base . The less transport prison term your wench experience , the less strain they will be when they arrive . If your seed is National Poultry Improvement Program certified , as all hatcheries should be , that ’s even better . Realize that anyone can sell bird , and if you ’re looking for reliable eggs - lay hens , you ’re better off knowing your hoot ’ lineage and this particular breed ’s history .

Bringing chick to your farm does bring the chance for disease and bacteria introduction . Think about the health of your other farm animals and your neighbour ’ animals before taking on chickens from an unknown farm . If there ’s any chance you might spawn chickens in the futurity , you should bed the genuine descent of the birds you ’re fetch household , and often the breeders who deal primarily through local websites and cent shoppers might not keep course of this information . Do n’t be afraid to need questions about the source of the bird you buy .

Equipment for Raising Layer Chickens

Adult testicle - set hens can be comfortable to keep if you have the correct caparison berth . If you ’re raising your mass from chicks , though , you ’ll need a few more pieces of equipment . Before you convey layers to the farm , make have these things in place to keep your bird safe and sound .

1. Brooder

biddy start out in a brooder before being incite to a cage . The brooder can be a room ( if you have a lot of chicks ) or just a large big - rubber tote bag ( if you have just a few chicks ) . The point of this draft - free quad is to keep chicks safe from predatory animal , warm , and snug to their food and water . Have your brooder space set up at least 24 hour before you impart home your chicks so the aviation , bedding and pee have time to warm up to the proper temperature .

2. Feeders and Waterers

Food and weewee are obvious necessities for chicken . you’re able to ascertain many feeder and waterer plans online if you ’d wish to make your own , and you’re able to buy them reasonably price at your local farm - provision store . The feeders and waterers that you put in the brooder planetary house might be appropriate to move into the hen house , but keep in mind that as stratum biddy grow , so does the amount of space they ’ll each take up around the tributary and water boy .

3. Henhouse

At around 6 week one-time , chicks can move into more spacious accommodations . The hen house also require to be predator - proof to the soap . chicken will be vulnerable to depredation throughout their whole life . testis - laying hen ask roosting quad and nesting boxes in the hen house , as well as feed and water . You might wish to have a mobile chicken coop — call a chicken tractor — or just a stationary coop . If you go with a stationary house , seam it and clean it out once each hebdomad ( or apply the inscrutable - bedding bedding system ) .

4. Fencing

If your testis - laying chickens are going to free - cooking stove , consider debate them in to protect them from predators , or you might just put them at bottom at Nox . If you ’re using fencing material , go for the predator - proof kind : little - weave , potentially electrified , bury 6 in so marauder ca n’t savvy underneath ( unless you ’re using irregular net fencing that will be be active regularly ) and at least 5½ metrical foot grandiloquent so prairie wolf ca n’t jump over it . If you are put up a small fenced inclosure , consider putting up overhead protection , too , to keep out mortarboard . Sometimes a few simple reflective strips run over top of the fence area are all you require .

Tips for Keeping Your Layers Healthy

The matter of egg - bed wellness is deserving a whole book itself . Understanding the fundamental principle of chicken wellness will help you keep your layer healthy and rich :

With the right stock , good equipment and attending to wellness care , your new layer hen will be cater you with sweet eggs from your farm or yard in no fourth dimension . You ’ll wonder how you get by with grocery - store eggs for so long .

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