Best Chicken Breeds For Eggs

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Best Chicken Breeds For Eggs

If you are new to keeping chickens, or if you have not yet acquired your first chickens, you may be wondering about the best chicken breeds for eggs. Of course, fresh eggs are one of the main reasons why people decide to keep chickens. Indeed, eggs are an excellent source of protein, one of the necessarily building blocks for muscle and indispensable for remaining healthy. Chicken eggs are a cheap source of protein, with each containing 6 to 7 grams.

However, before you decide on a breed, you should know that there are hundreds of types of domesticated chickens. Many of these breeds have distinct characteristics depending on cross-breeding, geography and environmental factors.

Aside from eggs, there are are many other differentiating factors among chicken breeds. Things like size, feather color, comb type and style, skin color, number of toes, feathering, and earlobe are all examples of such factors. Also, chickens fall into different categories depending on their use. Different uses include eggs, meat, or ornamental purposes. Some chicken breeds can also fall into more than one category. These chicken breeds are “dual purpose”.

If you main reason for keeping chickens is to have fresh eggs, we offer the following information and advice to help you make your decision.

How To Know If An Individual Chicken Is Good For Laying Eggs

Once you have established your flock, you should then determined which of your chickens are the best egg layers. In this way, you will be able to separate the egg layers from the non-egg layers and use the latter for meat. This is a good way to save money.

To tell whether an individual chicken is a good layer, you should inspect the space between the pubic bones. If if you see a space about 2-fingers wide between the public bones you know the chicken is a good layer. Otherwise, the pubic bones will be more rigid and will be closer together. This is the easiest way to separate the layers from the non-layers in your flock.

In addition, you will notice that most good egg-laying chickens have yellow skin. Their skin pigment will also show signs of bleaching.

Best Egg-Laying Chicken Breeds

Egg Laying Chicken Breeds

The following is a list of the best egg-laying chicken breeds.

Ameraucana
Kraienkoppe
Ancona
Lakenvelder
Andalusian
Leghorn
Araucana
Marans
Asturian Painted Hen
Minorca
Barnevelder
Orloff
Campine
Penedesenca
Catalana
Sicilian Buttercup
Easter Egger
White-Faced Black Spanish
Fayoumi
Welsummer

Dual-Purpose Chicken Breeds

The following list contains dual-purpose chicken breeds. You can use these breeds for both meat and egg production.

Australorp
Brahma
Braekel
Buckeye
Marsh Daisy
Naked Neck
New Hampshire
Norfolk Grey
California Gray
Chanticleer
Cubalaya
Derbyshire Redcap
Dominique
Dorking
Faverolles
Holland
Iowa Blue
Java
Jersey Giant
Orpington
Plymouth Rock
Poltava
Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island White
Scots Dumpy
Scots Grey
Sussex
Winnebago
Wyandotte

Best Chicken Breed For Eggs – Egg Color

Did you know that different breeds of chickens produce eggs of various colors? Eggs don’t just come in the white and brown varieties you find at the super market! Here is a list of the most common egg-laying breeds, and the colors of their eggs.

Araucanas – Blue
Ameraucanas – Green/Blue
Barnvelders, Welsummers – Deep Reddish-Brown
Cuckoo Marans – Chocolate Brown
Plymouth Rocks, Salmon Faverolles – Pinkish Brown
Polish, Sussexes – Cream
White Leghorns, Anconas, Minorcas, Andalusians, Campines – White
Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, New Hampshire Reds, Delawares, Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes – Brown

Points To Remember

When your chickens reach about 20 to 25 weeks, they will start laying eggs. The first time chickens lay eggs, the eggs will be small and the shells will be weak and brittle. You may even notice some eggs completely without shells. Don’t worry! This is perfectly normal and does not mean your chickens are sick. As your chickens continue to lay eggs, the shells will become stronger.

Once your chickens do start laying eggs, it is important that you collect the eggs every day. Doing so will help prevent your hens from becoming broody. Broodiness in hens refers to when the hen becomes persistent in wanting to sit on the eggs, even if the eggs are not fertilized. One of the ways you can help prevent and alleviate broodiness is to collect the eggs daily. You can also pick up the hen and walk around with her for about 15-20 minutes, or place some ice in the nest. In extreme cases, you might need to isolate the hen. In all cases, make sure you continue to provide food and fresh water.

More Information

If you would like more information on on all types for egg-laying chickens, as well as advice on how to raise healthy chickens and build chicken coops, check out buildingachickencoop.com!