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.
Instructions
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.
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.
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. Plan for three square feet per bird when they also have outdoor access; five to seven square feet apiece when the chicken house is their only environment. (See resources, below, for info on building chicken coops.)
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.
Provide your hens with plenty of fresh water, laying pellets (grain), and calcium (crushed shell, available at feed stores) every day. Laying mash or laying pellets are specially formulated for egg laying breeds, providing the protein and fat content they need to lay well. They need calcium for the shells of their eggs.
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 and can be used as usual.