Best Winter Laying Chicken Breeds – Part 2

Last time – I started out with a couple of thoughts on picking the best winter, egg-laying chicken breed.

Today, I’ll finish that up with just a couple of quick comments:

In the Asiatic class of chickens … some strains of Light Brahmas, and a few strains of the old style Buff Cochins will let you get pretty good returns on your winter eggs. However, these heavier birds are seldom, if ever, found on production egg farms.

So they’re usually relied on where small flocks must be kept in closely confined spaces, like in a small backyard, or town lot (which is where MANY of us are doing our chickens raising – I might add).

Another important note about this … usually they are considered heavier feeders in proportion to the output of eggs they put out – especially in comparison to the American or Mediterranean classes of birds.
All the best,

Kelson

Best Chicken Breeds for Winter Laying

Now that we’ve plummeted DEEP – DEEP into the heart of winter, I wanted to talk about this interesting topic that comes up every once in a while with some readers.

What are the best breeds for getting LOTS of winter eggs from your flock. Picking the best breed for you can make a big difference in the results you’ll get in the end.

The choice of the best breed for winter laying chicken stock is mostly a matter of personal preference on your part.

But here are a couple points to consider:

One very important point that you’ll want to note when raising poultry, are the requirements of the local market you are trying to serve and sell to. If white eggs are the favorites for the locals, and thus can be sold for the premium price, then you’ll want to look at Minorcas or Leghorns.

These breeds will give you decent results, although Leghorns, in general, are better summer than winter layers.

The general purpose hens in the American class seem to have the best successes with winter egg production of brown egg. Breeds like White or Buff Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, White, Buff, or Barred Plymouth Rocks can all be counted on for getting pretty good results for this market focus.

I just wanted to start this discussion here. If you have any thoughts or comments, please add them below. I’ll finish up with some more thoughts on this next time.

Kelson

‘Doing In’ Your Chickens

We talked about this not too long ago …

the idea of what to do with chickens when you no longer need them. And, I think, a lot of people have the same outlook as this author:

I have two Delaware Whites that I bought when they were 12 weeks old. I never got to properly bond with those girls. They had never been held as babies and were not fond of us picking them up. There is just something extra special about raising your chickens from chicks. Plus, the Delaware Whites are very noisy at 7am, their poop is extra wet and it is stinky, and they are a dual breed meaning that they are good egg layers and good for meat as well.
Read more at her blog

Even with chickens that you’re not very attached to, it can be a difficult decision. However, when you signed on to raise chickens, you already made the decision that you would face these tough choices head on … whether you wanted to or not.

It’s just like facing difficult choices when you have children. You know you’re going to have to make the choices, but it’s still hard to do.

In the end, though the decision is difficult, I don’t think you can go wrong providing for the needs of your family. That’s what life is all about. And you are doing it in the most responsible, respectful, and healthy, way.

Kelson

Oh, and you should just go check out her blog anyhow … because she has a lot of useful chicken raising tips and ideas that you’ll find helpful.

Commercial Egg Producers Are Disappearing?

Oprah was on the other day. And she had a guest on the show, who was trying to shut down commercial animal production facilities – including cattle, pork, and chickens.

Now … I totally agree that these places offer terrible conditions for these animals.

BUT … if we allow these laws to be passed that limit the size of cages they can be kept in … there is absolutely NO DOUBT that the prices of the food will go up.

Commercial Egg Slideshow
Commercial Egg Slideshow

Check out this very informative slide show (from the Department of Animal Sciences, at Purdue University) – detailing several of the steps involved in commercial chicken egg production. I think if you look at how this is set up, it will become clear that the ease with which they do this COULD still stay the same. HOWEVER – even if they simply expanded each cage to allow each chicken to move better – they would be losing half of their production … INSTANTLY!

I am more of the opinion that if you want wholesome, organic eggs – you should just buy them OR grow them yourself. They’re available. Don’t drive the prices up for every single person in America by requiring egg producers to meet a specific spacing standard.

What do you think? What else can we do?

All the best,
Kelson