Description and egg production of the best breeds of laying hens for the house, how to choose for a farm
Today many people raise chickens for themselves. In order to choose the right breed, it is recommended to determine its direction. There are meat, egg and meat-bearing bird species. People who want to get a large number of eggs should pay attention to egg chickens. Below are the best breeds of laying hens for the home. Each of them has certain features.
Features of laying hens
The ability to lay large eggs is considered a key feature of hens. They are edible and of high quality. Such a product is produced by a thoroughbred layer. They are characterized by common features:
- chicken body weight - no more than 2.5 kilograms;
- graceful physique;
- rapid physical growth;
- thick feathers;
- large wings;
- long tail;
- a straight and rigid comb - it has 7 teeth.
The first clutch is made 125 days after the birth of the hen. On day 140, the hen reaches full physical development.
Comparison of egg production
The productivity of chickens is influenced by many factors. This parameter depends on the age of the bird, the characteristics of the content, the climatic characteristics of the region, the composition of the diet.
Egg production indicators, depending on the direction of the breed, are shown in the table:
| Breed type | Annual parameters of egg production, pieces |
| Meat | 100-120 |
| Egg | over 250 |
| Meat | 200-240 |
The best breeds
The best breeds are obtained from a cross between different types of chickens. To choose the best option, it is worth considering the features of each of them.
Andalusian blue
This breed is considered very popular because of its beautiful feather color. The parameters of egg production are considered average and reach 160-180 pieces per year. The eggs are medium in size and have a white shell.
Hamburg
These birds are often raised for decorative purposes. They are characterized by the absence of feathers on the front of the head, white earlobes, and a raised comb. These chickens are considered small - their weight does not exceed 2.5 kilograms. Egg production parameters rarely exceed 160 pieces. The eggs are small and weigh a maximum of 55 grams.
Dominant
These birds are considered record holders for productivity. Layers are characterized by a massive body and many feathers. They produce up to 300 large eggs per year, the weight of which reaches 70 grams. Laying starts early.Productivity parameters remain for 3-4 years.
Isa Brown
This popular egg breed originated in France. Laying hens are capable of producing up to 320 eggs per year. A characteristic feature is the brown hue of the shell. The chicken is highly resilient and adapts easily to any conditions.
Kuchinskaya Jubilee
This breed is considered versatile. She produces up to 220 eggs per year, and they weigh 60 grams. The chicken starts laying at six months. At the same time, it is permissible to grow the breed as a meat one. Its weight reaches 3 kilograms and has excellent taste.
Leghorn
These birds weigh a maximum of 2 kilograms and produce up to 300 eggs per year. A characteristic feature of chickens is high endurance. Individuals reach sexual maturity quickly. They have an excellent appearance and a characteristic leaf-like crest.
Lohman Brown
This breed was bred in Germany, based on the Plymouthrock cock and Rhode Island chicken. Egg production parameters reach 300-330 pieces. Chickens begin to lay at 130 days of age. Active clutch lasts up to 80 days. The eggs are large and weigh up to 65 grams.
Minorca
These are some of the most recognizable egg-bearing breeds. Chickens begin to lay early - at 5 months. It will be possible to get up to 160 eggs weighing 56-59 grams per year. Today, the Minorca is considered an endangered breed. There are several hundred such chickens in the world.
New Hampshire
This is a hybrid breed of meat and meat direction. It was bred by American scientists. Rhode Island specimens became the basis. Low survival rates of young birds are considered a key disadvantage. They do not exceed 86%. Annual egg production - 200 pieces. The eggs weigh 60 grams and have a yellow-brown shell.
Rhode Island
Chickens are attractive in appearance. When raising individuals, it is important to consider that they require mandatory walking. Keeping them in cages is prohibited. Chickens start laying at 6 months. Average egg production is 180 pieces. The eggs weigh 62 grams and have a brown shell.
Russian white
This breed is one of the most popular egg varieties. Individuals are perfectly adapted to Russian conditions. Laying eggs weigh about 55 grams.
Tetra
It is one of the most productive breeds and is often chosen for home keeping. The bird lays up to 310 eggs per year. They weigh 65 grams. The first clutch occurs at 21 weeks of age.
Ukrainian Ushanka
This breed is considered meaty. It was bred back in the seventeenth century. A characteristic feature is considered to be tufts of feathers that grow in the region of the ear openings. Chickens are easy to care for and have good productivity. Layers are gaining weight every day and weigh up to 2.3 kilograms. They produce 160 eggs per year.
High Line
These hens are characterized by high productivity. When the bird reaches 80 weeks of age, it produces 350 large eggs. The advantage of the breed is unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention.
Highsek Brown
This breed is perfect for breeding. She produces large eggs that reach 60 grams. Per year, the parameters of egg production are 300 pieces. The advantage of birds is their high resistance to infections, fungi, helminthic invasions.
Highsek White
These birds are also characterized by high productivity. They differ from the previous breed only in the shade of plumage. These chickens are characterized by snow-white feathers.
Shaver
Chickens of this breed produce a lot of eggs. Egg production parameters reach 235 pieces per year. Laying hens give the most eggs at 27-46 weeks of life. Their weight is 63 grams.
An example of a good laying hen
When choosing a laying hen, you should immediately refuse to buy a bird with physical defects. These include deformed fingers or a keel, an irregularly shaped beak. The following features testify to the high productivity of the chicken:
- high physical activity;
- good appetite;
- long and wide body;
- well-developed chest;
- strong, widely spaced legs.
Too much or too little protein in a chick's diet will often cause chicks to fall to their feet. Subsequently, this will negatively affect productivity.
Plumage
It will be possible to assess the performance of the laying hen by its feathers. A healthy individual has a dense and shiny plumage. The unproductive chicken has dull and loose feathers.
Moulting also testifies to egg production. Productive individuals rush for a long time, and therefore shed their feathers in October-November. At this time, they become unattractive, so inexperienced poultry farmers often discard such individuals.
Unproductive layers begin to molt in July-August. Moreover, this process lasts 4 months. However, by the beginning of the acquisition of the flock, such chickens look more attractive. Therefore, they are often mistakenly preferred.
The number of flight feathers on the wings is of no small importance. Good layers have quite a few of them.
Beak and legs, how to choose for beginners
The shade of the beak, iris and paws helps to determine the performance of chickens. When buying remontant young animals, you should pay attention to the yellow tint of the legs, iris of the eyes and beak. As the performance increases, the pigmentation gradually subsides. The higher the productivity of the chicken, the faster this process takes place.
Initially, pigmentation from the iris disappears. Then the beak and paws are involved in the process. Therefore, birds with good egg production do not have as bright pigmentation in autumn as unproductive layers.
It should also be borne in mind that it is not recommended to leave young animals with deformed legs. This feature is inherited and provokes a decrease in productivity parameters.
Comb and earrings in chicken and chicken
Chickens with a pale or overdeveloped comb are not suitable for the formation of the livestock. Pale and wrinkled catkins and crest indicate low egg production. In productive birds, they have a scarlet or red hue, a warm and elastic consistency.
Which hen to choose?
For household use, birds are often bought at the market or at the poultry farm. When buying an individual from farmers, it is worth asking questions of interest regarding the breed and conditions of detention. Most chickens purchased from farmers are considered winter hardy and produce large eggs.
However, it is important to screen birds for disease. Not all farmers are conscientious and can sell bad layers to inexperienced people for their personal subsidiary plots.
When buying new chickens from a poultry farm, you can be sure that they are vaccinated. However, it is difficult to breed such birds at home. They are characterized by poor immunity and hardly adapt to new conditions.
When is the best time to buy?
Juveniles 4-5 months old should be bought in spring and autumn. If you do this in the spring, the peak of their egg production will begin by summer. In the fall, it is worth updating the livestock. For this, good layers are left for the winter, and bad ones are allowed to eat. However, it is recommended to purchase several new chickens.
There are many breeds of chicken that are suitable for growing on small farms. When choosing a specific individual, you should focus on the parameters of egg production and take into account the requirements for care. It is better for novice farmers to choose unpretentious breeds.
