[kev1986]

roughly how much does laying decrease in the second year the reason i ask is that a local free range is selling off and am wondering how much laying they will have left in them they are all goldline hybrids .
cheers
kev and shalona

[troutrunner]

Any Hybrid will lay the best number of eggs the first year, It really depends on how many breeding lines are incorporated in the production.

A first cross, as in Rhode Island Red x Light Sussex is a first cross hybrid and will, because only two blood lines are involved will not have great effect on longevity of lay will be similar to pure breeds.

What happens with the designed chicken is that the more bloodlines involved in the make up will force the birds to lay more in the first year and it will reduced rapidly each year after. With pure breeds you will not get as many the first year as the hybrid but will get more in comparison in subsequent years and a longer laying life.

[kev1986]

so for instance i have a white leghorn that has just started laying for the first time say i expect 300 eggsin first year then she moult and expect say about 200 eggs in second year or not as dramatic drop as that
many thanks
kev and shalona

[GrannieAnnie]

That's why the farms get rid of them.  We've had ex free range birds lay reasonably well for another year, but when we moved here, we had 75 ex batts and within 6 months were getting 4 eggs a day.

And 1st crosses are crossbreeds TR, not hybrids.  I think you will find hybrids are not straight crosses as you say, they have other genes bred into them.  Could be another 2 or more breeds in their makeup.  I don't know all the ins and outs, but that is what our hatchery told us when we first got the Amberlinks and Goldlines

[troutrunner]

Hybrid definition

1.the offspring produced by crossing two individuals of unlike genetic constitution; specif., the offspring of two animals or plants of different races, varieties, species, etc.

This does mean that two different breeds, ie. Rhode Island Red crossed with a Light Sussex is in fact a Hybrid all be it a first cross it is in essence a hybrid.

With all the commom Hybrid types that you can obtain these days, they will have several lines specially bred from only the breeder knows where and crossed at diferent points in the make up.

The point to hybridization is that the result produces in poultry a bird forced to produce most prolifically in the first season and it results in a rapid decline there after.

On the other hand a pure breed, bred originally from various lines of unknown origin over many years will produce an even lay of eggs for several years and a good even conformation of body.

So to conclude if they are for quick egg sales at the gate, Hybrids are best and for two years max, otherwise backgarden/pets pures are better and will lay longer.

We now get to the breeds that lay the best and they are not always the best lookers.

If you want more just ask, sorry if I bored you

[sneezer]

Hi there, we got 3 ex-free range birds last March, so they were in their second year, 1 has laid nearly every day since, i think she missed 2 or 3 days even in the depth of the cold snap, 1 laid every other day then gave up for about 4 months but has started again egg nearly every day, and the last hen laid every day until cold snap... they are well worth getting, not sure what cross ours are!