Layer/Egg Breeds

This presentation is sponsored by theBeginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program

These are birds that usually grow slower than breeds for meat and reach a lower body weight, but

are great at laying eggs (200-300 a year!)

Individual farmers have their preferences about the color of the eggs, the breed choices and the housing system that they want

The color of the shell has no effect on the nutritional content or taste of the egg

The differences in color, comes from the nutrition that the hens received

Consumers often assume that brown eggs are more “natural” or “healthier” Brown eggs can fetch a higher price

Pastured or free-ranged eggs can have a lower amount of cholesterol, but the difference is really not significant for one’s health

A hen is called “broody” when she wants to sit on the eggs and hatch them (also called maternal instinct)

A hen lays only one egg every day or two, but she doesn’t start naturally incubating until the whole clutch is laid This way, all the chicks will hatch at the same time

Some breeds tend to show more broodiness than others, this is a sign of which hen will take care of the eggs, while others will not If you plan on selling eggs, it might be good to not have hens with

high broodiness as they tend to lay less eggs and want to sit on, and incubate the eggs they lay

Breeds like Leghorns and Minorcas don’t get broody, so make sure you’ve got an incubator to raise chicks if that’s the end goal

Hens will usually be kept for a couple of years, so you need to consider the weather in your area

If you have cold winters, you may choose a heavier bodied, well feathered bird, if you have hot and humid summers then you should choose smaller birds

If you want to breed and raise your own replacements, then you probably want a broody breed that will sit on the eggs and hatch them, but if you only want the eggs then you don’t want a broody breed

There is no real difference in the nutritional content of eggs of different colors (white, brown or even blue/green eggshells) The color of the shell is given by the breed of the hen, but the contents

MAY depend on the diet of the hens

Most people have an idea and a preference, so educate but don’t argue, find out what kind of eggs

your clients like and make sure to get hens that lay that color of egg

If there is a lot of interest for heritage breeds in your area, then that is probably the best way to go, but if your main concern is egg production then you would be better with a modern hybrid breed

Wheaten Old English Game Hen

Heritage breeds

Delaware (Indian River)

Golden Campine hen

http://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/breed-search.php

EGG LAYERBREEDS Ameraucana

Ancona

Australorp

Hamburg

Houdan

Leghorn

Minorca

Polish

Sex Links

Early 1970’s these began to be developed from the Araucana imports from Chile

Considered the ‘Newest American Breed’

Varieties: Color type Blue, Blue Wheaton Black, Silver White, Buff Brown Red, Wheaton

Comb type Pea comb

Skin color: Varies with color variety

Egg Shell color: Green to blue eggs

Size: Roosters 5.5 – 6.5 pounds Hens 4.5 – 5.5 pounds

• Commercial use• Used primarily for egg production with some lines heavily selected for

egg production

• Some people call them Easter egg chickens or Easter eggers because they lay blue eggs

• Some say that the cholesterol of the eggs is less than normal eggs of other breeds. This has not been proven and it is more likely dependent on the diet

• Characteristics• Good general farm chicken• Some lines will exhibit broodiness• Good at foraging

First imported into the US in the 1930’s

Mapuche Indian tribe in South America developed these from Collonca and Queteros breeds

Collonca – clean faced, rumpless, blue egg laying fowl

Queteros – ear tufts, tailed, lays a pinkish brown egg

• Different from the Ameraucana

• The ear tuft gene carries a lethal gene which causes embryo mortality

• Blue egg trait is dominant so these birds have been cross bred with a number of American breeds to increase hatchability and are called “Ameraucana’s”

Do better in open production systems

Poor at foraging for feed

Breeding can be a problem because of the lethal gene (associated with the ear tufts) that kills ~25% of chicks prior to hatch

http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm

Originated in the city of Ancona, Italy

Original bloodlines from other Italian breeds and Leghorn type fowl

Came to the United States in the late 1800’s

Varieties:Color: Black mottled Red mottled

Comb type: Single Rose

Skin color: Yellow

Egg shell color: White

Size: Rooters 5 – 6 pounds Hens 4 – 4.5 pounds

Commercial use: Excellent egg producers Good mix of visual appeal and production Very ‘leghorn like’

Characteristics: Can be flighty and high energy birds Great at foraging Rarely go broody

Developed in Australia primarily for egg production

Foundation bloodline is only the Black Orpington. Basically, it is an Australian bred Orpington selected for egg production and not meat

Smaller than the Orpington as a result of selection for egg production

Skin color: White

Egg shell color: Light brown

Size: Roosters 7.5 – 8.5 pounds Hens 5.5 – 6.5 pounds

Commercial use: Medium weight, active bird which lays a tinted egg Good egg producing bird that does not sacrifice too much meat

quality Popular egg producing bird for backyard flocks Calm friendly birds

Origin is Dutch although the name is German

Original breeders selected for “pheasant fowl” characteristics

Varieties:Color: Silver spangled, & penciled Golden spangled, & penciled White Black

Skin color: White

Egg shell color: White

Size: Rooster 4 – 5 pounds Hens 3.5 – 4 pounds

Commercial use: Egg production only An ornamental non-sitting fowl Exhibition quality

Characteristics: High energy and flighty bird, good fliers Forage very well Good for free range egg production systems

Old French breed imported into England in the mid 1800’s

Foundation breeds include the Dorking, Crevecoeur, and possibly Polish

Possesses a fifth toe on each foot

Comb type: V shaped

Skin color: White

Egg shell color: White

Size: Roosters 7 – 8 pounds Hens 5.5 – 6.5 pounds

Commercial use: A general purpose non-sitting fowl originally bred for both meat

and egg production Not a good ‘yard bird’, due to visual impairment and predation

Characteristics: Gentle and friendly bird Good foragers

http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm

Original breed came from Italy in the mid 1800’s

Other varieties developed in England, Denmark, and America

Production stock and show stock have very different characteristics

Varieties: Color: White, Black Buff, Red Silver, Columbian, Duckwing Light Brown, Dark Brown

Comb types: Single Rose

Skin color: Yellow

Egg shell color: White

Size: Roosters 5 – 6 pounds Hens 4 – 4.5 pounds

Commercial use: Egg production only! Very prolific, efficient and economical producers of table

eggs

Characteristics: Very high energy, active Will forage over large areas Will not brood!

Breed developed in England from Spanish Castilian Fowl

Largest and heaviest of Mediterranean breeds, very sturdy frames

Large head, comb and wattles

Similar to WF Black Spanish and Andalusians

Varieties: Color: Black White Buff

Comb type: Single Rose

Skin color: White

Egg shell color: Chalk white

Size: Roosters 7.5 – 9 pounds Hens 6.5 – 7.5 pounds

http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/4070-2082

Commercial use: Excellent producer of large white eggs Unique blend of large lean frame and egg production May not be as good in cold climates

Characteristics: Somewhat flighty and full of energy Forage well

Developed in New Hampshire from Rhode Island Reds that were selected only for growth (not color or egg production), but now are considered more for egg production

Comb type: Single comb

Skin color: Yellow

Skin Color: Yellow

Egg shell color: Brown

Size: Roosters 8.5 pounds Hens 6.5 pounds

Commercial use: Great for meat production Mature early Fair egg production

Characteristics: Fast growing Usually calm by can be aggressive Poor at foraging

http://whatscookingwithkids.com/2009/03/29/meet-the-chickens/

Old breed from Holland Shown in paintings form the 1500’s

They are a “Crested” breed

Have a large knob on top of there head from which their head feathers grow

http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm

Comb type: Small V shaped

Skin color: White

Egg shell color: White

Size: Roosters 6 pounds Hens 4.5 pounds

http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm

Commercial use: A general purpose non-sitting fowl originally Good egg production Not a good ‘yard bird’, due to visual impairment and predation

Characteristics: Gentle and friendly bird but startle easily Not good at foragers Not broody

Not a breed of chicken

Sex-links are a result of a predetermined cross that results in sexable male and female chicks at hatch

http://www.countryhatchery.net/chickens.htmlhttp://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=162760

Most often used in the commercial egg industry to produce brown egg laying strains

Often called Red Stars, Cinnamon Queens, Bovans, Cherry Eggers, Production Reds

Resource Website

APPPA American Pastured PoultryProducers Association

www.apppa.org

Pastured Poultry Resources pasturedpoultry.org

Pasture poultry yahoo group http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/PasturePoultry

Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)

attra.ncat.org

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

www.sare.org

This presentation is part of an educational modular program designed to provide new and beginning farmers and ranchers with relevant information to initiate, improve and run their agricultural operations.

This presentation was prepared through a collaboration effort and funded by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program

The following institutions and agencies helped to develop and prepare this educational material

• USDA-NIFA-BFRDP 2010 – 03143 • USDA-NIFA-BFRDP 2014 – 07424• USDA-NIFA-BFRDP 2017 – 01804