Best Egg Laying Chickens For Beginners
Best Egg Laying Chickens For Beginners
Nowadays most of the people in urban and rural areas want to raise some egg laying chickens on their own backyard for the purpose of producing some fresh and organic eggs. If you have decided to raise some chickens too for getting some fresh and organic eggs for your daily family consumption, you have to start with some best egg laying chickens. Start out with easy keepers until you get the hang of caring for poultry. As a beginner, you have to choose relatively docile, healthy and productive breeds that can produce adequate amounts of eggs for your daily family needs. Here we are describing about some best egg laying chickens for beginners.
Choosing Breeds
Discuss with your family members about exactly what size of chickens and eggs are suitable for you before choosing your fist chicken breed. People of urban areas don’t like noisy and large breeds. Because this type of breeds causes some problems and sometimes those birds will draw complaints from your neighbors. But according to the rural circumstances, this type of large and noisy breeds are not a problem. Choose some winter hardy chicken breeds if you are living in a cold climate environment. Less hardy birds can suffer from frostbitten combs and might not survive unseasonably cold temperatures. In case of warmer environment, choose some breeds that can grow, live and produce maximum in warmer conditions. Also consider your preferences about particular chicken color, size or number while choosing breeds. Collect catalog or website address of some commercial hatcheries to learn more information about available chicken breeds on your area.
Discuss with your family members about exactly what size of chickens and eggs are suitable for you before choosing your fist chicken breed. People of urban areas don’t like noisy and large breeds. Because this type of breeds causes some problems and sometimes those birds will draw complaints from your neighbors. But according to the rural circumstances, this type of large and noisy breeds are not a problem. Choose some winter hardy chicken breeds if you are living in a cold climate environment. Less hardy birds can suffer from frostbitten combs and might not survive unseasonably cold temperatures. In case of warmer environment, choose some breeds that can grow, live and produce maximum in warmer conditions. Also consider your preferences about particular chicken color, size or number while choosing breeds. Collect catalog or website address of some commercial hatcheries to learn more information about available chicken breeds on your area.
Usually hens lay only a certain number of eggs in their lifetime. And egg laying varies by the breeds. Also decide what you are going to do with your hens when they are spent. You can use the spent hens as pet or for meat purpose. Also consider the opinion of your family members. If their choice vary then you can raise various breeds and it will increase the beauty of your flock.
Egg Laying Breeds
All hens lay eggs. Some breeds lay highly and some lay less. But there are some breeds available which are primarily for highly egg production purpose and some are raised for meat production. Some breeds also available which are suitable for dual purpose (both eggs and meat). As you are planning for raising some hens to produce eggs, so you have to choose some chickens which are specifically bred for maximum egg production. Young hens usually lay more eggs than the old one daily during the spring and summer season. Egg production reduces when the days become shorter. Especially in cold months. Older hens might not produce many eggs during this period. But the several eggs they lay tend to be larger. And the younger hens might lay some small sized eggs during their first laying period.
All hens lay eggs. Some breeds lay highly and some lay less. But there are some breeds available which are primarily for highly egg production purpose and some are raised for meat production. Some breeds also available which are suitable for dual purpose (both eggs and meat). As you are planning for raising some hens to produce eggs, so you have to choose some chickens which are specifically bred for maximum egg production. Young hens usually lay more eggs than the old one daily during the spring and summer season. Egg production reduces when the days become shorter. Especially in cold months. Older hens might not produce many eggs during this period. But the several eggs they lay tend to be larger. And the younger hens might lay some small sized eggs during their first laying period.
Roosters
Roosters are not a must in your flock for laying eggs. They are necessary only if you want to produce fertile eggs and raise chicks. Naturally roosters are noisy. So, many communities don’t allow to keep roosters with the flock. But in rural areas you can raise as many roosters as you wish without any single problem. There are some advantages of raising some roosters too. They become very protective and provide good protection to your hens from harmful predators. Sometimes a good and protective rooster will die for protecting the hens in your flock.
Roosters are not a must in your flock for laying eggs. They are necessary only if you want to produce fertile eggs and raise chicks. Naturally roosters are noisy. So, many communities don’t allow to keep roosters with the flock. But in rural areas you can raise as many roosters as you wish without any single problem. There are some advantages of raising some roosters too. They become very protective and provide good protection to your hens from harmful predators. Sometimes a good and protective rooster will die for protecting the hens in your flock.
Suggested Breeds for Beginners:
As a beginner, you can raise some Rhode Island Red for first time. They are very hardy and dual purpose chicken breed. They lay medium sized brown colored eggs and also suitable for meat production. Plymouth Rock is another dual purpose chicken breed. Generally it’s very easy to handle this breed and they produce light brown colored eggs. Orpington breeds are available in a wide variety of colors. Among them buff colored hens are most common and popular. They are very friendly with us, gain maturity earlier and produce brown colored eggs. Leghornsare also suitable for highly egg production. They produce white colored eggs. Some people like to have some blue or green colored eggs along with white and brown eggs. In this case, you can raise Ameraucanas breed. They are relatively calm in nature and quite cold hardy. You can choose Bantam breeds if you don’t have much space for your chickens. Bantam hens produce small sized eggs, but there are almost no nutritional differences compared to eggs of other breed.
As a beginner, you can raise some Rhode Island Red for first time. They are very hardy and dual purpose chicken breed. They lay medium sized brown colored eggs and also suitable for meat production. Plymouth Rock is another dual purpose chicken breed. Generally it’s very easy to handle this breed and they produce light brown colored eggs. Orpington breeds are available in a wide variety of colors. Among them buff colored hens are most common and popular. They are very friendly with us, gain maturity earlier and produce brown colored eggs. Leghornsare also suitable for highly egg production. They produce white colored eggs. Some people like to have some blue or green colored eggs along with white and brown eggs. In this case, you can raise Ameraucanas breed. They are relatively calm in nature and quite cold hardy. You can choose Bantam breeds if you don’t have much space for your chickens. Bantam hens produce small sized eggs, but there are almost no nutritional differences compared to eggs of other breed.
I think you have got a clear idea about what breed is suitable for you. Above listed breeds are the best egg laying chickens for beginners. Consider your facilities and choose proper breeds for your backyard flock. Have fun!
Comments
Post a Comment