favorite layers

[Mamma D]

I was wondering what your favorite layers are ...we're mostly interested in brown egg layers ...the pullets we got last week are red sex links (which I guess is a hybrid of sorts ...RIR crossed with Hampshire Reds or Orps) & a few Golden Comets (also a hybrid?) Do hybrids make better layers?

There's a handful of breeds I'm interested in (sorry Papa):
Welsummer
Black Australorp
Golden Wyandotte
Barred Rock
Barnevelder
Partridge Rock
Buff Orpington

Anyone have these? ...Anyone create their own hybrids? Favorite crosses? But maybe the RIRs are the best layers? TY

One more question: if red sex link are often a cross of RIR & NHR ...how are they different from 'Production Reds'? It's the same cross so I've read ...and does it matter which breed the hen or rooster is? I always read the rooster of these crosses is the RIR
...sorry that was 2 questions

[cam]

Black Australorps, Orphingtons, and the Rocks would be my pick out of those. I have Domineques, which look like the Rocks, except the comb is different. I get a lot of eggs from them, but not very big eggs, if thats what you're looking for. Black sex link are great layers with medium size eggs.

I'm not too knowledgeable about the crosses and production type birds. I have some Hamburg-Domineque crosses about to hatch, but I wasnt intending for that to happen.

My absolute best layers are a pair of muskovy duck hens that someone dumped off in my backyard a while back. These two girls poop out 2 big ol eggs a day. Great tasting eggs with giant yolks and really thick whites. Now i know why grandma always liked baking with duck eggs!

Cam

[flyguy]

MammaD,You also got to look at you winters up there find one that are winter hardy....Black Australorp,Barred Rock,Partridge Rock,Buff Orpington
Always did well for me,along with the Red sex links,Cochins.All layed large brown eggs and were very hardy in the winter,as my chickens were free ranged all year..They just went in the coop to roost,eat,and lay eggs

The ones that I really liked was the cochins

#2 Do the cross breeds make better egg layers...To me yes

My cochins were very broody hens..I always let at least two hens hatch out a clutch of eggs for me they also make great moms

[patricimo54]

Apr 11, 2012 8:53:56 GMT -5 cam said:

My absolute best layers are a pair of muskovy duck hens that someone dumped off in my backyard a while back. These two girls poop out 2 big ol eggs a day. Great tasting eggs with giant yolks and really thick whites. Now i know why grandma always liked baking with duck eggs!

Cam

My ducks are my best layers as well. Very consistent.

[ninedeer]

I have Barred Rocks,rhode Island red and some Blk Star all lay big Brwon eggs do very well in the Wisconsin winter.have 30 hens avg 20-24 eggs a day

[Mamma D]

Thanks for the input everyone ;D ...keep it coming. I did read that Wyandotte are very cold hardy - and they are very pretty ...I think all of the birds on my list are cold hardy ... a few are noted as 'broody' - I would like to hatch a few eggs down the road to replace the hens as they age ...what do you all have as roosters?

[adksasquatch]

We've got the Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rocks. They're good layers, and get big enough when they stop laying their good size for the stock pot. For meat birds, we get chicks for the Cornish Cross. They're mutants and get huge quickly and eat like crazy so keep them away from the garden.

[trapperbud]

I got a couple Golden Wyandotte . They're good layers , nice looking birds and good tempered .

[patricimo54]

I have had the reds that lay very large eggs, but are egg breakers and are very aggressive.

Buff Orpingtons are very mild mannered, but their eggs are a little smaller. Great birds.

[TRAPnHUNT]

Mamma D,

Is JC gonna make you into tending to the yard birds while he goes running through the woods & swamps?

[Mamma D]

Apr 12, 2012 8:27:26 GMT -5 TRAPnHUNT said:

Mamma D,

Is JC gonna make you into tending to the yard birds while he goes running through the woods & swamps?

hehehe ...I'll do my share but likes the chickens too!

[Mamma D]

From what I've been reading - it seems like RIR roosters are a favored breed for creating hybrids & sex links ...but I also hear they are one of the nastiest roos to have around - however a friend of ours has a very polite RIR roo.

I know many things; from plants, to animals to essential oils & medications, often there is a synergy when combining 2 or 3 varieties ...making the resulting 'cross' (or effect as in meds or oils) better than either 'parent' ...so I guess it makes sense that a hybrid chicken would be a better/hardier layer then either parent breed when bred from good laying stock