Are you planning to have chickens that will bring fresh eggs every day, but don’t know which breed to choose? We have prepared for you a rating of breeds of laying hens, which will allow you to find out which birds are unpretentious in care, carry large eggs!
Egg breeds
Hens of such breeds differ from others in smaller size. The weight of an adult varies from one and a half to three kilograms. Hens are active, agile, fussy. Young hens begin to lay eggs at the age of four months, and in one year one bird is able to produce at least 300 eggs.
Breeds of laying hens with photos and names
To create a bird herd in your household, you should choose well-proven breeds. By conducting selection and regular culling of the bird, it is possible to maintain its best qualities and receive maximum economic return.
Chickens leggorn
This is one of the most popular breeds of chickens, is highly effective. In a year, from one you can get more than one hundred eggs, weighing up to 60 grams. The constitution of the bird’s body is strong, it has the shape of a triangle with its head on top. Typically, all laying hens with good egg production have such a body structure. When buying a bird, you need to pay attention to it. This can also be clearly seen in the photo of laying hens of the Leghorn breed, presented below.
In a healthy bird, the eyes should be clear, the earrings and crest are pronounced. Chickens of this breed are very mobile, so they must be provided with a full-fledged walk. If such conditions are not created, the bird may even die.
On average, the weight of an adult chicken is about two kilograms, males are slightly higher. Chicken significantly supplement their diet, while walking and eating grass, insects and small stones. Leghorns carry well, large and clean eggs. The genetic material of this bird is used all over the world to create new breeds.
Some poultry farmers breed Leghorn for their own small business, constructing large cages so that hens can move. After the egg production of chickens begins to fall, the laying hens are slaughtered for meat.
A small farm can contain dwarf leggorn, which also have egg specialization. Despite the fact that the weight of an adult bird is not more than 1.7 kilograms, they are not inferior in egg production to a large bird.
Hens "Belarus-9"
The gray Californian and white leggorn, the paternal and maternal lines, respectively, were taken as the basis of the breed. From the name it is obvious that the breed was bred in Belarus. Chickens adapt well to various conditions of detention, so the breed is widespread.
Chickens have white plumage. The bird has a small weight - from 1.3 to 2 kilograms. Chickens become sexually mature at the age of 160-170 days. The average egg production is about 290 for 12 months, the weight of eggs is 60 grams. “Belarus-9” is one of the five best breeds of chicken of egg orientation.
Highsex Brown
A very popular breed of chickens in our country. It is valued for its good egg production, large eggs, calm nature, strong immunity. The bird is small in size and well built. The color of the chicken is bright brown, sometimes with small white marks on the tips of the feathers.
The weight of an adult bird is 2.5-3 kilograms. Egg laying begins at the age of 20 weeks from birth. The breed is considered highly productive, the number of eggs per year is 280-315. The products of these chickens have high nutritional value with lower cholesterol. Unlike eggs, poultry does not have such value, it is tough even in young individuals.
Broken brown
Which breed of laying hens is the best? Without a doubt, the leader is the broken brown German selection. The main reasons for the popularity are:
- high egg production;
- quick adaptation to the conditions of detention.
Chickens have a beautiful red plumage. The eggs are broken brown - a brown shade. The breed is precocious, the laying of eggs begins on the 140th day from the moment of birth. For one year, one chicken lays 250 eggs, those hens that start to hatch for 150 days give 310 or more eggs a year. The survival rate of young animals is quite high - 98%. Small chickens vary in color: the color of the fawn on the hens is fawn, and on the males it is white. Hens have a complaisant character, calm, quickly become attached to the owner.
Birds can be kept in cages; they tolerate captivity well. But you should know that, holding the bird in such conditions, it is necessary to give it feed in the amount of 114 grams per individual.
Izobraun
Laying hens of Izobraun breed - birds of French selection. With proper care and feeding from one chicken, you can get about 320 eggs weighing 63 grams. At the age of four months, they reach half their productivity. The color of the plumage can be light brown and dark brown with a red tint and small white blotches on the neck and at the tail of the body.
Chickens of this breed are precocious, unpretentious in maintenance, have a high level of egg production. Perfectly adapt to any climatic conditions. But it should be noted that two years after the start of egg laying, productivity drops.
Chickens tetra
You can hear another name for the laying hen breed - tetra tint. Often this bird can be found on farms. She fell in love with the high productivity and rapid growth of chickens.
The hens have a lavish plumage of brown color, and the cockerels have white. Tetra is a hybrid breed, the weight of an adult chicken is about 2.5 kilograms. This is one of the most productive breeds, by the 21st week all chickens begin egg laying. In 52 weeks, laying hens can lay about 300 brown eggs, weighing 60 grams.
The best breeds of laying hens for the home
We suggest paying attention to a number of breeds suitable for home yard. The maintenance of even a small amount of poultry can fully provide the family with domestic eggs.
Minorca
Birds of large size, beautiful black plumage. Representatives of this egg breed carry the largest eggs. Minor is not suitable for breeding for meat; it does not have valuable taste. When buying this bird, you should pay attention to the exterior: the closer it is to the breed standard, the higher the productivity. Chickens are very demanding on the conditions of detention. At low temperatures, the room ceases to rush. In cold climatic zones, in severe frosts, they can completely freeze the catkins and earrings. It is better to engage in breeding poultry in households; rearing for commercial purposes is unprofitable.
Minor hens of the minor breed have an average egg production of about 260 eggs per year. On average, the weight of one egg is 90 grams, sometimes specimens weighing 115-120 grams are found. By the age of three, the productivity of chickens decreases, but the quality of eggs improves and their size increases. The eggs have excellent incubation qualities, but the laying instinct is lacking in laying hens; they do not hatch chickens.
Shaversky Cross 759
The hens are small in size, the weight of an adult is 1.5 kilograms. Layers begin egg laying at the age of 17, and most effectively rush from 25 weeks. In 365 days, up to 320 eggs can be obtained from one layer. Chickens have a very high laying efficiency.
Hens are hardy, calm, not afraid of people. Do not require any special care. The calculation of the feed is as follows: one individual for 18 weeks will be enough 7 kg of feed. This breed can be bred even in the suburban area.
White-36
The breed was bred by Hain Line. Chicken is used on the farm for 70 weeks, during which time an average of 270 eggs are received from it. Layers are unpretentious in care and very beneficial in maintenance.
At the beginning of oviposition, a young chicken weighs a little more than one kilogram, after a period of effectiveness of 29 weeks, the weight increases to 1.6. Due to the fact that the bird is small in size, the cost of its maintenance requires a little. For a period of 18 weeks, six kilograms of feed is enough for one bird, which is 100 grams per day.
Russian white
This breed of laying hens is similar in characteristics to leggorn, they are in the same weight category. Over 12 months, the laying capacity of a laying egg is 255 eggs, although some individuals of this breed also carry 320 pieces. The mass of one is 62 grams, the color of the shell is brown.
Russian white hens are very hardy, they do not respond to temperature changes, are unpretentious in food and content. The breed is well adapted to the content in the country. Unlike leggorn, Russian white gives a higher yield of dietary meat.
Czech dominant
More recently, this breed of laying hens has been bred (photo is attached below). The birthplace of the bird is the Czech Republic. Chicken is a cross (hybrid). The dominant is distinguished by endurance, good health, resistance to a number of diseases. This breed is grown in many countries, including Russia. Laying hens are appreciated by the fact that at the minimum cost of feed and keeping they give egg and meat products to the maximum. The breed belongs to the egg type, but having excellent taste and a large yield of meat, it is also grown for carcasses.
The dominant chicken weighs from 2.2 to 2.7, and the males weigh half a kilogram more. Chickens continue to grow until they are 11 months old. As for the color of the bird, there are about seven colors. By nature, the bird is calm, moderately active, but too loud: singing and cackling lasts all day.
Dominants are famous for their egg production. To date, there are few laying hens capable of carrying such an amount of eggs per year, without certain additives to stimulate egg laying, at the minimum cost of food. Typically, hens begin to rush at 5-6 months, sometimes at 7. It is in such layers that the laying period will be longer. The number of eggs weighing 65 grams 320 pieces per year. The eggs are covered with brown shells of different shades.
The maternal instinct is too weak, klusha, if he sits on the nest, may not sit until the end of the term. It is best to use an incubator to buy babies or buy chickens from trusted suppliers.