Which Breeds of Laying Hens to Choose

A small flock of laying hens can be an excellent source of daily fresh eggs. A hen will produce approximately 18 dozen eggs per year, although some hen breeds produce more eggs than others. Most hens will start laying at 4 months of age, but a few hens will take up to a year before egg production starts. Laying hens will produce eggs until they are 6 years old and then egg production will slow to one or two eggs a week until the hen reaches her teens.

  1. Rhode Island Red

    • Rhode Island Red hens are attractive hens with deep red and russet feathers. The hens have an easygoing disposition and are extremely hardy. The hens usually begin to lay eggs at 5 month of age. The eggs are large and brown in color. Hens normally weigh around 6 lbs. when fully grown. It is estimated that a Rhode Island Red hen will successfully produce 200 to 300 eggs per year.

    White Leghorn

    • The White Leghorn hen is a very prolific white egg layer, easily producing more eggs on less feed than other chicken breeds. Hens weigh around 4 lbs. when fully grown and lay 300-plus eggs per year. The need to sit on eggs and be broody has been bred out of the Leghorn. They appear to simply drop their eggs and go without a backward glance, which is ideal for large egg production, because hens who are broody will often sit on an infertile egg without laying further eggs.

    Barred Plymouth Rocks

    • Barred Plymouth Rock hens are large and quite attractive. Their feathers are black-and-white striped. The hens have an excellent disposition and are favored in many farm settings. The Barred Plymouth Rock hen is a wonderful laying hen for wintertime egg production when other hens cease to lay or slow down. Barred Plymouth Rock hens are excellent to raise around small children, because they do not have aggressive tendencies. Eggs are large and brown in color.

    Wyandotte

    • Wyandottes come in either a silver laced or a gold laced color variety. Hens produce light brown eggs that are medium in size. The hens will readily produce eggs in the winter when other varieties of hens slow down egg production. Wyandotte hens are pleasant and friendly. They adjust well to confinement or free range conditions. The hens are excellent mothers when allowed to hatch chicks. Hens average 200 eggs per year.