Best Brown Egg-Layers (chicken)

I don't have chickens but my mom always swore by the Rhode Island Reds...heavy birds and nice big brown eggs, even in winter( I hated gathering frozen eggs!)

 

I would agree with Liz, but also my black australorps are great layers to.

 

totally agree with Liz...I have had several different brown layers and the reds are BY FAR...the best layers....

cochan's are good broody hens fyi....

 

Some of my best layers ever were Dominiques now I have Delewares and I love them because they can also be eaten. They have nice big heavy bodies sooo when I get too many roosters, one can go in the stew pot. That is I f I can find someone else to butcher it for me....I'm kinda squeamiish that way :wink:

 

We have one rhode island red and golden wyandottes(7). They are young- just got them in June- They are all laying in the frozen tundra (-24 this am and that didn't even factor in the windchill)- They are very sweet- can pick them up and get along very well with even the guinea hens. Even our rooster is a sweetie!

 

I have had many different breeds of chickens... RIR's are good layers, as well as Buff Orps.... by my favorite layer and personality was a Black Australorp. She's about the only one I have really missed after she passed. Right now I have a Rhode Is. and a Buff Orp, and I'm going to pick up a couple of Marans next week. Never had them before~

 

Our Rhode Island reds just recently started to lay. RIRs are said to be the most prolific brown egg layers. They are my favorite even going by just looks!

 

Golden Comets. No question, without a doubt they will lay the most eggs of any brown egg layer.

Whatever chicken you get, make sure you a good strain.

 

GOLDEN COMETS!
they're Alaskan hardy, over 100% lay rate (we free range) and have huge eggs! we had to duct tape the XXL cartons shut

 

You know...all chickens can be eaten :wink:



Rhode Island Reds are extremely popular. We are looking at getting Australorps on our ranch and possibly Delaware's.

...now about these Golden Comets... very interesting and thanks AlaskaBoers. I had never heard of them till you mentioned it and had to do some research. I think I might look into getting a few of these myself - at 300+ eggs per year and through the winter that's hard to beat; too bad they are a hybrid but I hear they can lay even at 5 years old so they are definitely worth it.

 

Isa Brown's ...I have had these for years and they consistantly lay xlarge and jumbo brown eggs. Mine average 355 eggs a year! They are a dual purpose (meat and eggs) bird also...They stay at top production for 3 years.

 

In the winter I add some chicken nutri-drench to the chicken's water. they are all inside right now and don't free range in the winter. (easy fox and coyotte food) :wink: It's helped with my egg production!

 

I have one Rhode Island and she gets along with everyone else. She is great!

 

I have blue orps, (my best) whndots, (very good) frizzles (very good) black giant, black astr., (good) and marans. (the worst)

My blues never stopped laying this year. They are beautiful and very friendly.
My whinnys are nice and have kept up production very well.
Love my frizzle cochins. If I need any youngin's raised Buffy is my go to hen. She is mean as a snake when anything threatens her chicks. She even took on a oppossum. He tore her up but she never gave up. She'll always have a home. She's a good weeder too!
The giant and astralopes did fine. They lay nice big eggs.
Got to say the marans are over priced and suck at laying and hatching. A much better bird is the welsummer. They lay terra cotta colored eggs and have a MUCH better production and hatch rate. They are a nice sized bird as well.
I hope to find a blue orp rooster this year. (sold ours for $22-$25 at auction each) We sold them because they were related to our hens. We had 5. Not bad for a rooster. We have 7 blue hens not counting my blue frizzle.
Also hope to get some more blue-red whindots. Beautiful birds. I have 1 hen and 1 rooster right now. They bring good money here but are hard to find so I hope to start raising them.

Good luck,
Gina

 

My barred rocks lay really well, and thier eggs are pretty large. I have two and the rest of mine are Buff Orpingtons, by far my favorite chicken... they are such pets! They are very calm and quite- Not so "chicken-y" like the barred rocks. They lay huge light rose colored eggs, and mine actually lay very well even though they are dual purpose. Plus they are just so darn pretty.I've never had a problem with either breed of my girls picking at each other. I really feel like this more in part for only having 7 hens in a large run and coop. They are very content. Management says a lot more for chicken behavior then the breed it seems.Good luck!

 

I am glad to hear this about Buffs-I'm adding some to my flock and love friendly, good laying chickens!