Category: Chicken Breeds

Choosing a Good Laying Hen

A Few Breed Choices for High Yield and Excellent Egg Quality

Leghorn / Hen: 4 pounds

The best egg layer and the feed-to-egg conversion ratio are excellent, holding down the cost of egg production. These birds start laying earlier than most at 41/2 – 5 months and on average lay 10 -12 weeks longer than most good laying hens. If you’re looking for the breed that’ll give you the most eggs of superior quality in the smallest amount of space, consider the Leghorn.  They are a white egg layer of top-grade eggs with good size.
Although these birds aren’t usually found in your local feed store, you can ask a feed store to order them for you when THEY buy chicks, they’re often willing to oblige.

Rhode Island Red / Hen: 6 lbs.

Martha & Michelle 2010

R.I. chicks are readily available in almost all feed stores. They are excellent layers of sizable brown eggs. They do quite well in confinement but can be a bit bossy.  These dual-purpose heavy birds are a dark mahogany color and have earned their reputation as a favorite among chicken keepers for years.
No other heavy breed lays more or better eggs than the Rhode Island Red.

The Dominique / Hen: 5 1/2 pounds

Mamma, Dominique

This is one of my favorite breeds on the farm. They are hardy in extreme heat, confine well, are extremely docile, friendly, and brown egg layers. You can expect the Dominique to lay every other day, and here in Arizona mine lay most all winter.
My Dominique hens are non-aggressive to other members of the flock, and I’ve introduced new birds with only minor confrontations.
This particular hen is now three years old and still laying quality eggs every other day.
More Options…
You can also buy pullets (hens at their point of lay) if you want to skip raising chicks altogether. Check your local Craigslist under Farm & Garden, you may find just the breeds you’re looking for right in your neighborhood. Expect to pay $15 to $25 each. Beware of buying chicks though… they’re usually not sexed and you might end up with a rooster, finding yourself in violation of most local city codes.

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Chicken Breeds with Broody Tendencies

12 Breeds That Tend to Be Broody

If you are only interested in egg production then you may not want to purchase chicks that have broody tendencies.  Broody hens can be troublesome, so if you’re not looking for a mother hen, here are the breeds you may want to avoid.
Buff Rocks
Cochins
Orpingtons
Dark Cornish
Sussex
Cuckoo Marans
Plymouth Rock
Brahmas
Silkies
Cochin Bantams
Cornish Bantams
Serama

Orpington
Silkie

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Naked Neck Turken

Turken

The Turken is a light brown egg layer and is considered a dual-purpose utility chicken. It is especially suitable for meat production as the breed has approximately half the feathers of other chickens, making them easier to pluck.
These birds are cold hardy and heat tolerant, excellent foragers, and immune to most diseases.
Their appearance is rather odd and not particularly appealing to some. Perhaps this explains why they’re not usually known to be an exhibition bird.
About
Size: 6.5 to 8 pounds
Type: Large Fowl & Bantam
Varieties: Black, Buff, Red, White
Egg Laying: 2-3 per week
Egg Size: Medium
Egg Color: Light Brown
Comb Type: Single
Personality: Docile & Friendly
Broody/Setters: Yes

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Campine

The Campine chicken, pronounced Kam-peen, is a beautiful and rare breed that originated in the Kempen Country near Antwerp, Belgium. They are close relatives of the Belgian Braekel. The Campine chicken comes in two varieties, the Silver and the Golden. Hens and roosters are nearly identical in feather coloration.
In 1893, Campine chickens were first imported into America by Mr. Arthur D. Murphy of Maine and the American Poultry Association recognized the breed in 1914.
Characteristics
Type: Large Fowl
Size: Male: 6lb. / Female 4lb.
Purpose: Egg Laying
Recognized Varieties: Silver & Golden
Crested: No
Feathered Legs: No
Number of Toes: 4
Single comb
Moderately cold tolerant
Not especially docile
Non-setter
Not broody
Tolerates confinement
Alert, intelligent, active
Egg Production
Expect about 3 medium to large white-shelled eggs per week.
Sexing
When Silver Campine females are mated to Golden Campine males the chicks can be sexed at day-old – the female chicks have a reddish blush and the males have gray on the top of their heads.
ALBC Status: Critical
For more information about the Campine visit the ALBC (American Livestock Breeds Conservatory.)

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Orpington

The Orpingtons are very sweet, and friendly, and are seldom bullies towards the other members of the flock. However, living in the desert where the temperatures reach well over 110 they have proven their tolerance for heat to be quite low. Especially considering they can be broody and won’t leave the coop where temperatures can be life-threatening. Every situation is different and they may be fine as free-range chickens with plenty of shade and water.
Details of the Buff Orpington:
Type:   Large Fowl & Bantam
Size:   7-8 pounds
Purpose:   Dual (meat or egg production)
Recognized Varieties:   Buff, Black, Blue, White, (buff is most common.)
Eggs:
Color:  Brown
Size:  Large
Frequency:  3-4 per week
Breed Features:
Feathered Legs: No
Crested: No
Comb Type: Single Comb
Number of Toes: 4
Character & Traits:
Accepts confinement well
Cold Hardy
Heat tolerant to 100 degrees
Docile, friendly
Broody / Setter
Good layers through the winter

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Dominique

The Dominique, also known as Dominicker,  originated in the United States. They are considered America’s oldest breed of chicken, probably descending from chickens brought to New England from southern England during the Colonial Era.  However, most modern Dominiques may be traced to stock developed by A. Q. Carter after 1900.
By the 19th century, they were widely popular and were raised in many parts of the country. The Dominique is a dual-purpose breed, being valued for meat and brown eggs. They weigh 5 to 7 pounds at maturity, are considered cold-hardy, are good mothers, and adapt well to confinement or free range. They are early to mature, and although sometimes considered flighty, I personally find them extremely calm. The birds’ plumage pattern, also known as “hawk coloring”, offers some protection against some aerial predators.

Egg Production
Although categorized as a dual-purpose breed, these birds are first and foremost egg producers with hens averaging 230-275  medium-sized brown eggs.
Sexing Dominique Chicks
Sexing the Dominique is really pretty simple, with about 95% accuracy.  The cockerels have yellow shanks and toes, and the pullets have a grayish-black coloration on the front of their shanks and also on the top of their toes.  The color differences become less apparent as the chicks mature.
Popularity Concerns
Since the 1920′s the Dominique’s popularity was on a steady decline, by 1970 only four known flocks remained.  Dedicated breeders participated in a breed rescue and their numbers showed a rise in numbers from 1983 to 2006.  By 2007, once again a decline was observed.  Presently, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) has put the Dominique on the ‘Watch’ list.
Of all the breeds of chickens I’ve kept here on the farm, the Dominique is by far my favorite.  They are very sweet, hardy, and most important in these parts, tolerant to our hot summer temperatures that climb above 110.

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Promoting the Dominique

TBN’ Ranch’s Dominique Hen, ‘Mamma Too”

The Dominique, also known as Dominicker,  originated in the United States. They are considered America’s oldest breed of chicken, probably descending from chickens brought to New England from southern England during the Colonial Era.  However, most modern Dominiques may be traced to stock developed by A. Q. Carter after 1900.
By the 19th century, they were widely popular and were raised in many parts of the country. The Dominique is a dual-purpose breed valued for meat and brown eggs. They weigh 5 to 7 pounds at maturity, are considered cold-hardy, are good mothers, and adapt well to confinement or free range. They are early to mature, and although sometimes considered flighty, however, I find them extremely calm. The birds’ plumage pattern, also known as “hawk coloring”, offers some protection against some aerial predators.
Egg Production
Although categorized as a dual-purpose breed, these birds are first and foremost egg producers with hens averaging 230-275  medium-sized brown eggs.
Sexing Dominique Chicks
Sexing the Dominique is really pretty simple, with about 95% accuracy.  The cockerels have yellow shanks and toes, the pullets have a grayish-black coloration on the front of their shanks and also on the top of their toes.  The color differences become less apparent as the chicks mature.
Popularity Concerns
Since the 1920s the Dominique’s popularity was on a steady decline, by 1970 only four known flocks remained.  Dedicated breeders participated in a breed rescue and their numbers showed a rise in numbers from 1983 to 2006.  By 2007, once again a decline was observed.  Presently, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) has put the Dominique on the ‘Watch’ list.
Who is the ALBC?
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy ensures the future of agriculture through the genetic conservation and promotion of endangered breeds of livestock and poultry.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization working to protect over 180 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction. Included are asses, cattle, goats, horses, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.
Founded in 1977, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is the pioneer organization in the U.S. working to conserve historic breeds and genetic diversity in livestock. We hope you’ll browse through these pages and learn more about the diverse and valuable agricultural heritage that is ours to enjoy and steward.

Dominique
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