4. They do not do well in extreme heat because of their dense feathers. Hatching Eggs Con: Hatching eggs in an incubator is a bit complex and you have to purchase additonal chicken equipment (the incubator and all the necessary gear for a successful hatch), so it can be overwhelming to newbie chicken owners. Many adult hens that you will find are often past their prime, so you’ll just be taking care of them in their old age without the reward of getting eggs. Chickens Homesteading Winter Eggs from Silkie Bantams, Orpingtons and Australorps. Depending on the breed, laying hens will start laying eggs usually between 20 and 22 weeks old. Male Wyandottes can sometimes be prone to be aggressive and should be watched around children. They were initially bred as a dual purpose bird and can lay around 3 large eggs per week. Roosters of this breed do have large combs that can be susceptible to frostbite. This breed has a dense, close feather coat with plenty of under fluff to keep them warm. Even today they are happy foraging for food. Their dense feathering helps to protect them from the cold. Learn which crops are best for your garden, plus a step-by-step process so you know exactly WHEN and HOW to plant them! Rose combs and pea combs do better at protecting chickens from the cold. Sometimes they make up their own mind about when to lay eggs. Hi Jill, I love all of your blogs and videos! Mrs Metcalf wanted to breed chickens that thrive in harsh winters, could forage well and also make good dual purpose hens. She has tight feathering with enough fluff underneath to keep her warm. This guide to raising laying hens will help you learn everything you need to know for raising healthy and happy chickens and it will help you get the tastiest eggs possible from your laying hens. Overall this is an active but gentle and curious breed that is seemingly unafraid of humans. Basically, all chicken eggs start out white inside the laying hen. Generally, it’s a slow decrease over time before the egg production stops completely in the middle of the winter season (unless you get a rare hen or breed that keeps giving you a few eggs all winter long). My family has officially turned into egg snobs, and my children will refuse to eat store-bought eggs… And there’s nothing like baskets on your counter overflowing with eggs and knowing you helped provide your own food for your household. Choosing Pullets. Jill actually wrote a whole post on this topic here: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2015/05/wild-birds-out-of-a-chicken-coop.html So sorry to hear that you lost one of your hens! Mites are tiny and look like red-brown spots running all over a chicken’s body and head. If you keep them in a run they get a bit snippy, so lots of room is the key here. Overall the Orpington is a lovely hen for the small flock holder. Check out my article on supplemental lighting to get more details on this topic. These chickens are easy to raise in cold climates and can continue to lay well into the winter months. They are very hardy and dual purpose chicken breed. If you want eggs ASAP, then pullets might be the better choice. They typically lay an impressive 4 eggs per week. They do tolerate confinement but are much happier when they can free range. Overall this is a very hardy and dependable chicken that can flourish in conditions that are marginal or even poor. Eggs: They lay approximately 200 large brown eggs each year. Keep your chicken coop safe from predators. The male weighs in at around 8lb and a hen at 6lb. Do different colored chicken eggs taste differently? Plymouth Rock chickens are the second most popular laying hen option (after Rhode Island Reds). I have not had an infestation of mites for years even through the wet periods when they like to breed. The Welsummer is a dutch breed that is very winter hardy. The Orpington is one of the most popular chickens around – you might have heard them being called English hens. Plymouth Rock chickens are the second most popular laying hen option (after Rhode Island Reds). The Isa Brown, once known as the Institut de Sélection Animale Brown, was developed in France in the 1970s. Here’s a little bit on how it works. Rhode Island Reds. They have been bred for generations to lay large numbers of white eggs of consistent size and quality. Chickens Egg Laying Reducing Over Time. Whichever you choose I do not think any will disappoint you. Sure, those chicks are super adorable, but (preferably) before you bring them home, a bit of self-reflection is wise to make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew. Look over your chickens for parasites. The best thing about this chicken is feed intake, which is very less compared to other breeds. How Long Do Chickens Lay Eggs . (These are my #1 favorite- don’t tell the others….). Basically, you need room for your chickens, a roost, nesting boxes, a waterer, and a food dish. 6. Hens will lay the most eggs in their first two years of life. My question is this: we both still work outside of the home. While we find cold weather to be a pain, always having to bundle up when we go outside to refill chicken feeders and waterers,our birds often adjust quite well. If you are getting chicks, you will need a chick brooder to keep them warm and safe until they are old enough for a chicken coop. If the hens are healthy and have plenty of space, egg eating should not be an issue. You also won’t have to deal with chick-care with brooders, or egg-care with incubators, so you will need less equipment and less hassle right away. But certain breeds, such as those with large combs and wattles, those with smaller body masses and some of the more fragile breeds don't do as well in the winter as those breeds considered cold-hardy. The Wyandotte was a dual-purpose breed developed by Americans in the 19th century and the most common variety of this breed is called the Silver Laced Wyandotte. Why do you get different colored eggs from various laying hen breeds? They have beautiful black iridescent feathers and a... Brahma. Read more here about what you shouldn’t feed your chickens. Medium to large breeds are good for cold winters. Eggs: You’ll get approximately 150-200 eggs per year from each Ameraucana laying hen. Chanteclers are cold hardy as they have feathers that sit tight to their body with lots of under fluff to keep them warm. List of 15 Best Egg Laying Chicken Breeds 1. They... 3. Keep their coop impeccably clean, especially the nesting boxes. After your chicks are too big for the brooder, you will need a chicken coop to for them live in. You haven’t said anything about culling. The Rhode Island Red chicken breed is one of the most popular breeds of laying hens and was developed in Rhode Island. You will just need to pay attention to their comb and wattles as they can get frostbitten if the weather is severe enough. Will they be ok if we check for eggs in the afternoon? Adult laying hens are chickens over 1 year old. Ancona chickens are another Italian export on our list of best white egg laying. It was difficult to pick just eleven contenders! Unfortunately, a hawk killed one of my hens. The really wonderful things about all of the cold-hardy breeds above is that they are great egg layers, excellent backyard chickens, and happen to be beautiful to boot! New Hampshire Red. It will look th… Environment: They are a hardy breed and can do well in any climate. I was gathering eggs and got the mites on my hands and face ugh. Keeping your egg laying chickens in tip-top shape will mean more and higher quality eggs for you. This is in the highest egg-laying bracket, so if you really like omelettes, put this breed at the top of your list. It has a docile and calm personality, hens may occasionally go broody. Most hens start laying eggs at about 20 weeks old and will lay the most eggs in that first year. Bonus: they are really good foragers, so you might have to feed them less in the summer. They are very cold hardy and robust, laying throughout the winter. Besides good quality chicken feed, there are some things you can feed your chickens for better tasting eggs: What should you avoid feeding your chickens? Each year following their egg production will gradually decline to about year 7 when they will typically stop laying altogether. These are fertilized eggs that you need to incubate. Hens will lay around 3 medium brown eggs a week – although there is a new strain of Buckeye that lays even more eggs. They are teenage chickens that are just about ready to lay their first eggs. Dominique. Remember art class, when you learned how red and yellow gets your orange? Learn about what you need to consider before getting your first chickens, get a quick look at some of the best laying hen breeds, how to get different colored eggs, and how to keep your hens healthy all year long. If your chickens aren’t laying as many eggs as they should be (according to their breed), it could be for a number of reasons. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Wellies are friendly, calm and inquisitive. This chicken variety lays large, white eggs, which can often have double yolks. Chicken Breed Picture Bird Size lb. Fortunately, I’m a pro at impulse-chick-purchases, and I’ve got this down to a science (learn more about easy DIY chick brooders you can make). Eggs: They average about 300 light brown eggs per year. Of all our brown egg layers, this is the lightest (about 3½ lbs. My husband said the space between the pubic bones tells if they are laying, but once they quit laying, does that space decrease so you know they’re not laying anymore? They are excellent foragers and just love being outside exploring. Most laying hens will provide consistent eggs for the first 2 or 3 years. Ameraucana chickens lay beautiful medium sized blue eggs. The Wyandotte is one of the most beautiful chickens there is. How to Clean and Disinfect a Chicken Coop, Save time & money as you build your homestead with my, you can read more about raising meat chickens here, more science details on this egg coloring here, this suet cake recipe for my chickens in the winter, here’s a video of how I recently cleaned up our chicken coop, How to Make Non-Stick Eggs in a Cast Iron Pan, https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2015/05/wild-birds-out-of-a-chicken-coop.html, Their age (optimal egg production is between 6 months and 2 years old), They are molting (losing old feathers and growing new ones), Your laying hens have a health issue or insufficient nutrition. Nesting boxes are crucial as they provide a clean, safe, and private area for your hens to lay their eggs. Thank you! When a chicken is stressed, it can slow down their egg production cycle. She is a hardy and robust little hen that tolerates cold weather really well. Rhode Island Reds are known as dual-purpose chickens. Anconas originate from the city of Ancona, in a central region Italy. Well, dust off your art pigment knowledge and combine it with some chicken breed information and you can indeed change your egg colors over time. She has lots of loose feathering which keeps them warm in the colder months. Now you have four colors of eggs to play with (white, blue, brown, and green). All of my chickens have them now. Grab the full-color cover crop PDF here (it includes my weekly Homestead Toolbox Newsletter, which gets rave reviews from busy homesteaders!)-->. Try to keep a dish of crushed oyster shells in the chicken coop for your laying hens to seek out when they need a calcium boost, or feed eggshells back to them. Whether you have kept chickens for years, or are just starting out on your chicken journey. Make sure you get the best quality food for your chickens that you can afford. There are pros and cons for all four options of hatching eggs, chicks, pullets, or adult chickens. We become accustomed to the levels of egg production in the spring and summer, then suddenly it comes to a screeching halt. These eggs are a beautiul terracotta color with some light speckles. Today we are going to look at a few breeds that can live and thrive in a small yard. They are docile and good with people, making them a great first-choice for newbie chicken owners. Delaware. A mellow temperament and good egg laying are also pluses. ), this post is for you. Hatching Eggs Pro: You can get the exact chicken breeds you want to raise. So you’re gonna need to do some chicken math to figure out how many eggs your household wants to have each week. The Sussex chicken breed is an old breed that gained popularity in the mid-19th century in England. They also have a pea comb and slightly smaller than average wattles. Black Star roosters are easily identifiable with a black feathering and a white dot on their heads. I even had mites on me and they were in the house too. They do hot, cold, dry, wet and all shades of weather and climate in between. They often start laying earlier than other chicken breeds and they are less likely to dramatically drop egg production in the winter. So you will need to watch the chickens closely as you provide them with nesting boxes. Top 15 Cold Hardy Chicken Breeds. This means they can be raised for either eggs or meat. Bred to be the first all-purpose chickens suited specifically to Canadian means, Chantecler chickens are well-known for being great egg-layers. My Guide to Chicken Coops article will help you figure out what you need in your chicken coop if you want to make one from-scratch. I would start by looking in the morning, and peek on them during the day until you’ve figured out the rhythm of your chickens. Temperament: They are usually an easy-going chicken breed, however, Rhode Island Red’s have a tendency to be a noisy breed. As the egg travels through the hen’s oviduct, it can pick up different pigments (more science details on this egg coloring here). A cold-hardy chicken is often nicely feathered along with small combs and wattles that reduce frostbite chances. The Black Star Chicken breed is a hybrid. If some eggs taste different than others, it has to do with what the hen was eating, not the color of the eggshell (more details below on what to feed your laying hens). They are particularly cold hardy because they have... Australorp. And make sure their water feeder stays clean throughout the day. If your goal or hobby is to get a vast array of colored eggs from your laying hens, here’s what you need to know. Getting Chicks Pro: Usually, getting chicks is the best financial option. One of our Australorp chickens. For this reason, they make a great free-range breed. I collect eggs when I get home from work without any issues whatsoever. Provide a clean, well-ventilated chicken coop. She is the best egg laying chicken for cold climate. They prefer to free range as this lets them forage for food. Chickens And More is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and any other affiliated sites. Many of the heat-hardy breeds originated in the Mediterranean - go figure! Best Egg Laying Chickens for Producing the Most Eggs in a Year. You can’t really go wrong with any of these! I do not have roosters and don’t want any. I hate to bust this homesteading myth for you, but for the most part, raising livestock isn’t going to save you money. Their plumage is dense with lots of fluff underneath for warmth. Today we are going to take a look at some of the best cold hardy chicken breeds. We treated the chickens, clean out the coop, washed it down, applied DE in their bathing area and they are still scratching like crazy. Although they were raised for the meat industry the Delaware hen can produce 4 large eggs a week. They lay medium sized brown colored eggs and also suitable for meat production. The thickness and size of the feathering also make a difference. Whilst they are a little bit shy, they are a gentle and sweet natured chickens that are great with children. I know that I’m not the only homesteader who gets tempted by those feed store chicks. Rhode Island Reds were originally developed in New England (specifically Massachusetts and Rhode Island – does the name make ... 2. They are well suited to live with other gentle breeds. You can then cross those different egg colored breeds together to produce various shades of those four colors. They are currently on the Livestock Conservancy’s watch list and were almost extinct only a few decades ago! As a general rule, chickens can eat the same things we can. They do well in confinement or free ranging and if they can free range they will gather tasty morsels to supplement their feed. Polish and Silkie chickens don’t have water-resistant feathers. So always double check your local rules before you bring those adorable chicks home. Ducks are probably the next logical step up from chickens and have become tremendously popular over the last few years. The cheapest chicken feed at the store costs $12-$16/bag, and making your own chicken feed is still an investment (here’s my chicken feed recipe if you want to try making your own). So there you have our selection for cold weather climates. Temperament: Plymouth Rock chickens are known for being quite mellow and docile. There is a lot of debate in the chicken world about supplemental lighting in the chicken coop. In order to figure out the colors of the eggs and how to change them, some science is required. Temperament: They are very sweet, friendly, and docile. Also Dominiques have dense, loose feathering which keeps them warm during those cold winter nights. For now we are home all day (thanks Covid-19) but what happens if they lay their eggs after we leave for work? Although the Australorp was created in Australia they do very well in chilly climates. Try different types and see which ones the chickens prefer, or what spot in the coop they like the boxes, or, if they are sneaking away to have their eggs somewhere else on the farm (which happens occasionally over here). It’s okay to have more laying hens than nesting boxes, but try to keep the ratio around 1 nesting box per 3 laying hens if you can (overcrowding tempts them to hide their eggs more). Australorps often get along with other livestock compared to other breeds. Some chicken breeds don’t mind a little snow in their pens. Discovering the unexpected is often what brings the most pleasure; cascading water from a fountain, a bullfrog’s croak in a Koi pond or a lovely wind chime that dances in the breeze. The New Hampshire chicken is an offshoot from the Rhode Island Red creators. Australop. We’ve had RIRs for years, and I absolutely adore them. 3. Leghorns are one of the very best egg laying chickens of any breed or egg color. Check out my Homestead Mercantile for all of my favorite chicken and homesteading products. There is … You can always make a chicken run (here’s a good chicken run plan), which gives them some extra space to run and forage, but prevents them from being able to wander your entire yard or space. Although they can be a bit reserved especially with other breeds of chicken. They are gentle and friendly chickens and they should not be combined with chicken breeds that are more aggressive because they can suffer from bullying (from being at the bottom of the pecking order). Both breeds were created just a few years apart. She will lay 3-4 light brown eggs a week and is prone to broodiness. I have chickens that love to free range part of the day. Your email address will not be published. Most brown egg layer pullets will consume 9-10 kgs of feed by the onset of egg production. She is a good hen for small homesteads that want a dependable layer. A-Z Best Winter Hardy Chicken Breeds List. They were created in New England just like the Plymouth Rock. They are great foragers and despite being basically all white they are remarkably predator savvy. Rhode Island Red chickens are easy to care for, they will produce around 260 eggs per year. Originally these chickens were left to fend for themselves and did very well. Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land, 8 Comments | Jill Winger |    Last Updated: June 18, 2020. When thinking about getting chickens for your backyard there Read More →, Just like people, chickens prefer to have some personal space. Purchasing Adult Laying Hens. They rarely go broody and devote their time to laying eggs. The White Leghorn is one of the most common chicken breeds raised by commercial egg farmers because it is not only a productive egg layer, but it’s also quite hardy in extreme conditions. Average Eggs per Year: 200 plus Egg Color and Size: Medium brown, sometimes with speckles Personality: Calm, quiet, docile Average Hen’s Weight: 6.5 pounds A team of Australorp hens set the current world record for the most eggs laid in a single year — an … This is a dual-purpose breed, and produces not only a great amount of eggs, but also good quantity of tasty meat. Overall this is a lovely bird that is in need of dedicated keepers. Pullets are chickens between 4 months and a year old. Let us know your favorite cold hardy breed in the comments section below…, Many folks would like to keep chickens but think they do not have enough space for them. While many breeds are adaptable to a backyard setting, certain breeds are better than others for backyard conditions. But hens are comparatively smaller in size than the rooster. (We won’t really be covering raising meat chickens in this post (you can read more about raising meat chickens here), but I will cover plenty of general information that you can use for raising any type of chicken.). This chicken is the perfect addition for your flock as they are robust and quite hardy. At the time breeders were looking for a better chicken and produced the original Barred Rock. Lohmann Brown is one of the best egg laying chicken breeds, which lays about 300 large brown color eggs per year. I like to think of them as the Holstein cows of the chicken world, as they are commonly used in commercial farming. White Leghorns. ©2005-2020 MY PET CHICKEN, LLC. They enjoy being able to move around freely and do what they want without having to wade through a crowded coop or run. You may have a hen go broody occasionally by only collecting eggs in the evening, but broodiness has largely been bred out of modern breeding lines and it’s a small risk. New Hampshire Reds. 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