When people think of pets, chickens do not often come to mind. However, chickens come with the amazing perk of laying eggs. Many homes go through lots of eggs in a short period of time, from frying them to baking with them. And there’s a significant taste difference between fresh eggs and the ones that had been shipped to a grocery store. If you have some space in your yard, you could install a chicken coop and start raising your own. Even if you only have enough room for a few hens, you could still get fresh eggs almost every day if you choose the right breed.
Some chickens are better at laying eggs than others, but be sure to choose a breed that works best in your environment. To have good egg production, chickens need to be healthy and happy in their home. And don’t worry if you’re a hen novice; some of these breeds are well-suited to beginners.
9 of the Best Egg Laying Chickens For Your Coop
Leghorn
These chickens are striking with their white feathers and red plumage. They have nervous temperaments, which makes them harder to train. However, farmers choose these chickens for their egg-laying abilities, laying up to 300 a year.
Rhode Island Red
This is one of the most renowned laying breeds around the globe. They are also easy-going, clever, stunning in appearance, and could lay about 250 to 300 medium-sized eggs a year. For this reason, Rhode Island reds are often ideal for those new to chicken care.
Lohman Brown Classic
These chickens are small, weighing about 2 kilograms, however, their egg-laying abilities are undiminished. They can produce about 313 eggs a year alongside a low feed consumption compared to other breeds.
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Australorp
This breed is a champion in egg production. And no wonder, since one hen could produce about 364 days in one year. These chickens are very active and produce more eggs when they can live in a free-range environment. Fortunately, they are not good at flying, making high shelters and fences unnecessary.
Golden Comet
Gold Comets are actually hybrids, with calm and tame personalities that make them get along with other animals. They also lay 250 to 300 brown eggs annually. [2]
Plymouth Rock
For first-time chicken keepers, these chickens are a great variety to start with. With lay eggs about every two days, laying about 200 eggs a year. They are better suited to living free-range and they are easily tamed.
Red Star
Red Star chickens are a hybrid variety that is excellent at egg laying, producing about 300 eggs per year.
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Speckled Sussex
These are large chickens (weighing about seven to eight pounds) that actually don’t need a ton of space. They are docile and curious in temperament, which means they should be separated from more aggressive chickens. They can lay 250 to 300 eggs every year.
Hamburg
These chickens are native to Germany and they lay about 200 eggs a year. Their appearance stands out because of their black and white, and sometimes gold-tipped, feathers. They need a lot of room to walk around because they become aggressive when stuck in small spaces. [3]
Tips to increase egg production:
While some chickens are more prone to productive egg-laying, certain elements of their environment could help them. In short, healthy and stress-free hens are more likely to produce more eggs. Here are some tips to achieve this:
- Give them quality feed, as well some fresh fruits, vegetables, mealworms, and other treats to keep their diet plentiful and nutritionally dense. Additionally, chickens need plenty of calcium for egg laying so ensure their feed contains it.
- Give the chickens space to move around, fresh air, sunlight, and the opportunity to forage. This will create a happier and less stressful environment for them. Additionally, ensure the chickens you raise are well-equipped to handle the climate where you live.
- Clean the nest box regularly and ensure their spaces are comfortable using hay or newspaper shreds. These materials could be easily swept away and replaced to keep the chickens healthy and free of parasites.
- Inspect the chickens every night for mites. This is the best prevention for a mite issue in the coop.
- Keep the coop secure from predators such as cats and raccoons. These creatures are able to burrow under the fence to get at the chickens so inspect the coop every so often for digging and holes in the fence. [4]
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Sources
- “THE MOST PRODUCTIVE EGG-LAYING CHICKEN BREEDS.” Strombergs Chicken. September 7, 2020
- “Top 13 best egg laying chicken breeds.” AgronoMag.
- “10 Breeds of Chicken That Will Lay Lots of Eggs for You.” The Happy Chicken Coop. March 6, 2021
- “Best Egg Laying Chickens: 10 Breeds To Consider.” Rural Living Today.
