How to Raise Egg Producing Chicken Breeds

The fact is, all chickens are egg producing chicken breeds. All female chickens will lay eggs during their lifetime, assuming they are healthy and receive proper nutrition.

Some chicken breeds are better for egg production than others, as certain ones produce more eggs than others. So if you're looking for a few good hens to supply eggs for your family, or even a variety of good layers to make up a flock so you can sell eggs locally, read on to learn about the best egg producing chicken breeds.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 
    
   Egg producing chicken

   Decide whether to get peeps, pullets or hens. The best stage to buy your birds is when they are young peeps, as they will know you and be the most tame if you raise them from the beginning.
   
   Pullets, or young hens not yet laying, mean that you'll have eggs much sooner from time of purchase. They are pricier than peeps, of course.
   
   If you start with hens, buy them when they are a year or younger to maximize their potential egg production.

2. Learn about the optimal egg producing chicken breeds for your needs. Top egg producers include Leghorns, which lay about 300 (white) eggs a year.
   
   Rhode Island Red hens are another great breed for eggs; they lay lovely brown eggs. Rhode Island Whites also lay brown eggs -- I have a half dozen of these.
   
   My sister has six Barred Rock hens that are great layers, producing perfect dark brown eggs each morning.
   
   Hybrid Sex Links, such as the Black Star or Red Star, were also bred for optimal egg production. These are very good layers of brown eggs. However, as hybrids they do not maintain the sex-linked color differences through future generations.

3. 
    
   Gentle chickens

   Prepare a hen house and chicken run for your birds. The chickens will need plenty of outdoor space as well as nesting boxes and roosting bars inside a small barn, shed or chicken house.
   
   Chickens may be allowed to free range for several hours each day once they have become accustomed to their home, as they will return each evening to roost. Just keep feeding them inside their pen to encourage their return.

4. Provide your hens with plenty of fresh water, laying pellets (grain), and calcium (crushed shell, available at feed stores) every day.

5. Collect fresh eggs daily to keep your hens from going broody or trying to hatch the eggs. Eggs stay fresh for days, though, so even if you don't get them for a couple days they are all still good.

Tips & Warnings

• Fresh grass and bugs and worms are excellent for hens and will improve the nutritional quality of their eggs. Let the free range when feasible.
• Never give chickens metal roosting bars, especially in the winter when their feet may freeze onto the metal.

Resources

• Raising Chickens: The Basics
• Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens
• Keep Chickens! Tending Small Flocks in Cities, Suburbs, and Other Small Spaces

[1960texan]

on 5/31/2009 I've always wanted to raise chickens, but travel so much that I haven't done it yet. Maybe it's time for me to be less of a control freak and teach a neighborhood kid to babysit my chicks when I'm on the road. Great article, as always.

[jseven]

on 4/13/2009 We used to have Rhode Islands and I love the big, brown eggs. We also had Bantys which were smaller but good, sassy roosters though! lol... Good tips here :).

[Gracie1402]

on 4/6/2009 we are getting 20 peeps this week! We are really excited (although I don't know what breed they are) thanks for the helpful information!

[amkaylor]

on 4/3/2009 This is a great article about how to start off raising chickens. As someone who is considering adding this to our home, I really appreciate the knowing the difference between buying peeps or pullets. Thanks!

[kaytay]

on 3/31/2009 I have done this and now get about a dozen eggs every day from the chickens we raise. great article