[marymay123]

We have just aquired a allotment and are new to this and would love to get others opinions on the best breed for laying eggs.

Are there any breeds of chickens that get on with each other better than others?

Thank You

[JaK]

It all depends on what you want. Hybrid chickens are what most get for egg laying. There are some pure breeds that are great layers too such as Rhode Island Reds. You also need to decide if you want large fowl or bantams. Large fowl lay bigger eggs but you can have more bantams in the same sized coop (though that also depends on how much space you have).

[8doubles]

Hens are like people, some nice and some downright nasty but Rhode IR hybrids are bred to be docile as half a dozen in a cage fighting all the time would be bad for profits.

Bear in mind that most hybrids lay all their eggs in a couple of years then stop or worse have problems that will need veterinary help or culling.

Also an egg from a cheap hybrid will taste as good as one from an expensive pure breed.

[Casey76]

One thing to think of, is that if your allotment is quite a distance from you, you will need to visit it twice a day, every day, although things like automatic door openers can be very helpful, they are also quite expensive unless you have the tecnhical know-how to rig one up yourself.

Personally I would get (depending on the size of pen you can offer) 3 to 5 production red hens (ISA Browns, Lohmanns, Warrens - these are all basically the same cross, and are what are used by the farmers for the supermarket eggs).  Production red hens are hardy, have clean legs and will usually get on Ok with each other.  Buying from a commercial breeder would mean that they have a good vaccination program to stave off the most common of diseases (though it is not a guarantee that the hens will never be effected).

Production reds will lay prolifically through their first two seasons, upto approximately 280 eggs in the first season.  They will lay well into their second year, though for production purposes are considered "spent" at 80 weeks of age.

At this point, you will need to make a decision on whether to keep the hens in retirement, or to cull and to replace them.

[devonbarmygardener]

We have quite a mixture - Silver Sussex, Brown Lohmann, Columbian Blacktail, Marans, Black Rocks and an Amber Rock.
From 9 hens we get 6-8 eggs a day which is plenty really.
Certain breeds lay up to 330+eggs a year, other like my Silver Sussex are around 260+ eggs a year so it depends on how many eggs you want really.

[wildwitchy]

 I've had a few leghorn type hens (white variety). They lay big white eggs day in day out, come rain or shine, winter or summer. They can be known as white star & other names but are based on the white leghorn. I had my original white leghorn girls in 2007 and they are still laying well at my friends place even now.

They can be a bit scatty and flighty but excellent layers & very healthy birds. Mine made quite a noise though for girls, especially after laying an egg! As far as i'm aware leghorns are not known for being aggressive, mine were shy. They have funny floppy combs too!

[devonbarmygardener]

Our girls are totally noisy! After laying an egg they come out of the henhouse crowing and squawking - obviously very proud of having laid an egg!
I find them so endearing.
Our little Amber Rock is so friendly, she loves a cuddle and follows you round the coop!

[andy46]

Dont know if this will help but i am new to keeping chickens (1 month) and i have got warren hens they are hybrid and i keep them in my back garden. I have found them to be very easy to keep and are very friendly and can be picked up. There eggs are wonderfull to. there are some allotments near me and they seem to have a mix of hens ie warrens like mine and bantams,some in the same runs hope this helps...

[tosca100]

We have three different hybrid girls, all easy and friendly.

Warren Florrie is a real sweetheart, likes to follow you around and happy to be handled. Regular layer, six a week. Not noisy.

Black rock Clara who has had a bit of a time of it, laying soft eggs, then lovely large ones before retiring, though is happy and lively, a pleasure to have around. Don't let her problems put you off though, Black Rocks are usually dependable layers.

And Lady G, speckledy, also a good layer and is boss lady. She is the one who makes a song and dance telling the world how clever she is after laying. She will sometimes set the others off too.

They are in the garden and put themselves to bed without problem, and are let out when we get up in the morning to ravage the garden. Never been so weed free. That would not be a problem to you, and you will not feel the need to poo pick half a dozen times a day as we do.

[andy46]

Tosca please can you tell me what plants you have in the picture as my hens have battered my boarders and your girls dont seem to have touched yours


kind regards

Andy46 xxx

[tosca100]

Tosca please can you tell me what plants you have in the picture as my hens have battered my boarders and your girls dont seem to have touched yours


kind regards

Andy46 xxx

Ha! Looks can be deceiving. They have clobbered rhubarb, begonias, pinks, viburnum, herbs. A lot of stuff had plastic mesh around or upturned wire baskets. What has survived are aquilegias, a black elder, lupins (though they got knocked over by chooks/dogs) iris, philadelphus, surprisingly the runner beans in the flower borders, though they have a mesh collar when young. Liatris, hosta, echinacea, broom and aster. Anything shrubby and established should be ok. But bulbs have been dug up. Will replant soon and cover with mesh.

But we don't need to weed. And we have a cage for veggies.

[andy46]

Thanks tosca will look them up and get some of the plants you said. the shrubs are ok and i have some grannies bonnets (you may have to google as i dont know thier proper name) and they have not touched them 

[wildwitchy]

I have some sage, catmint,rockroses,lavender,hollyhocks & aquilia. The chix havent had them. However they loved lobeila & pansy's and had all of them.

I was told pekin bantams & polands dont wreak your garden too much! Mine however have demolished those plants!