layer/egg breeds - department of poultry sciencepoultry-science.uark.edu/_resources/pdfs/...breeds...
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Layer/Egg Breeds
This presentation is sponsored by theBeginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
These are birds that usually grow slower than breeds for meat and reach a lower body weight, but
are great at laying eggs (200-300 a year!)
Individual farmers have their preferences about the color of the eggs, the breed choices and the housing system that they want
The color of the shell has no effect on the nutritional content or taste of the egg
The differences in color, comes from the nutrition that the hens received
Consumers often assume that brown eggs are more “natural” or “healthier” Brown eggs can fetch a higher price
Pastured or free-ranged eggs can have a lower amount of cholesterol, but the difference is really not significant for one’s health
A hen is called “broody” when she wants to sit on the eggs and hatch them (also called maternal instinct)
A hen lays only one egg every day or two, but she doesn’t start naturally incubating until the whole clutch is laid This way, all the chicks will hatch at the same time
Some breeds tend to show more broodiness than others, this is a sign of which hen will take care of the eggs, while others will not If you plan on selling eggs, it might be good to not have hens with
high broodiness as they tend to lay less eggs and want to sit on, and incubate the eggs they lay
Breeds like Leghorns and Minorcas don’t get broody, so make sure you’ve got an incubator to raise chicks if that’s the end goal
Hens will usually be kept for a couple of years, so you need to consider the weather in your area
If you have cold winters, you may choose a heavier bodied, well feathered bird, if you have hot and humid summers then you should choose smaller birds
If you want to breed and raise your own replacements, then you probably want a broody breed that will sit on the eggs and hatch them, but if you only want the eggs then you don’t want a broody breed
There is no real difference in the nutritional content of eggs of different colors (white, brown or even blue/green eggshells) The color of the shell is given by the breed of the hen, but the contents
MAY depend on the diet of the hens
Most people have an idea and a preference, so educate but don’t argue, find out what kind of eggs
your clients like and make sure to get hens that lay that color of egg
If there is a lot of interest for heritage breeds in your area, then that is probably the best way to go, but if your main concern is egg production then you would be better with a modern hybrid breed
Wheaten Old English Game Hen
Heritage breeds
Delaware (Indian River)
Golden Campine hen
http://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/breed-search.php
EGG LAYERBREEDS Ameraucana
Ancona
Australorp
Hamburg
Houdan
Leghorn
Minorca
Polish
Sex Links
Early 1970’s these began to be developed from the Araucana imports from Chile
Considered the ‘Newest American Breed’
Varieties: Color type Blue, Blue Wheaton Black, Silver White, Buff Brown Red, Wheaton
Comb type Pea comb
Skin color: Varies with color variety
Egg Shell color: Green to blue eggs
Size: Roosters 5.5 – 6.5 pounds Hens 4.5 – 5.5 pounds
• Commercial use• Used primarily for egg production with some lines heavily selected for
egg production
• Some people call them Easter egg chickens or Easter eggers because they lay blue eggs
• Some say that the cholesterol of the eggs is less than normal eggs of other breeds. This has not been proven and it is more likely dependent on the diet
• Characteristics• Good general farm chicken• Some lines will exhibit broodiness• Good at foraging
First imported into the US in the 1930’s
Mapuche Indian tribe in South America developed these from Collonca and Queteros breeds
Collonca – clean faced, rumpless, blue egg laying fowl
Queteros – ear tufts, tailed, lays a pinkish brown egg
• Different from the Ameraucana
• The ear tuft gene carries a lethal gene which causes embryo mortality
• Blue egg trait is dominant so these birds have been cross bred with a number of American breeds to increase hatchability and are called “Ameraucana’s”
Do better in open production systems
Poor at foraging for feed
Breeding can be a problem because of the lethal gene (associated with the ear tufts) that kills ~25% of chicks prior to hatch
http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm
Originated in the city of Ancona, Italy
Original bloodlines from other Italian breeds and Leghorn type fowl
Came to the United States in the late 1800’s
Varieties:Color: Black mottled Red mottled
Comb type: Single Rose
Skin color: Yellow
Egg shell color: White
Size: Rooters 5 – 6 pounds Hens 4 – 4.5 pounds
Commercial use: Excellent egg producers Good mix of visual appeal and production Very ‘leghorn like’
Characteristics: Can be flighty and high energy birds Great at foraging Rarely go broody
Developed in Australia primarily for egg production
Foundation bloodline is only the Black Orpington. Basically, it is an Australian bred Orpington selected for egg production and not meat
Smaller than the Orpington as a result of selection for egg production
Skin color: White
Egg shell color: Light brown
Size: Roosters 7.5 – 8.5 pounds Hens 5.5 – 6.5 pounds
Commercial use: Medium weight, active bird which lays a tinted egg Good egg producing bird that does not sacrifice too much meat
quality Popular egg producing bird for backyard flocks Calm friendly birds
Origin is Dutch although the name is German
Original breeders selected for “pheasant fowl” characteristics
Varieties:Color: Silver spangled, & penciled Golden spangled, & penciled White Black
Skin color: White
Egg shell color: White
Size: Rooster 4 – 5 pounds Hens 3.5 – 4 pounds
Commercial use: Egg production only An ornamental non-sitting fowl Exhibition quality
Characteristics: High energy and flighty bird, good fliers Forage very well Good for free range egg production systems
Old French breed imported into England in the mid 1800’s
Foundation breeds include the Dorking, Crevecoeur, and possibly Polish
Possesses a fifth toe on each foot
Comb type: V shaped
Skin color: White
Egg shell color: White
Size: Roosters 7 – 8 pounds Hens 5.5 – 6.5 pounds
Commercial use: A general purpose non-sitting fowl originally bred for both meat
and egg production Not a good ‘yard bird’, due to visual impairment and predation
Characteristics: Gentle and friendly bird Good foragers
http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm
Original breed came from Italy in the mid 1800’s
Other varieties developed in England, Denmark, and America
Production stock and show stock have very different characteristics
Varieties: Color: White, Black Buff, Red Silver, Columbian, Duckwing Light Brown, Dark Brown
Comb types: Single Rose
Skin color: Yellow
Egg shell color: White
Size: Roosters 5 – 6 pounds Hens 4 – 4.5 pounds
Commercial use: Egg production only! Very prolific, efficient and economical producers of table
eggs
Characteristics: Very high energy, active Will forage over large areas Will not brood!
Breed developed in England from Spanish Castilian Fowl
Largest and heaviest of Mediterranean breeds, very sturdy frames
Large head, comb and wattles
Similar to WF Black Spanish and Andalusians
Varieties: Color: Black White Buff
Comb type: Single Rose
Skin color: White
Egg shell color: Chalk white
Size: Roosters 7.5 – 9 pounds Hens 6.5 – 7.5 pounds
http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/4070-2082
Commercial use: Excellent producer of large white eggs Unique blend of large lean frame and egg production May not be as good in cold climates
Characteristics: Somewhat flighty and full of energy Forage well
Developed in New Hampshire from Rhode Island Reds that were selected only for growth (not color or egg production), but now are considered more for egg production
Comb type: Single comb
Skin color: Yellow
Skin Color: Yellow
Egg shell color: Brown
Size: Roosters 8.5 pounds Hens 6.5 pounds
Commercial use: Great for meat production Mature early Fair egg production
Characteristics: Fast growing Usually calm by can be aggressive Poor at foraging
http://whatscookingwithkids.com/2009/03/29/meet-the-chickens/
Old breed from Holland Shown in paintings form the 1500’s
They are a “Crested” breed
Have a large knob on top of there head from which their head feathers grow
http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm
Comb type: Small V shaped
Skin color: White
Egg shell color: White
Size: Roosters 6 pounds Hens 4.5 pounds
http://www.triplespringacres.com/rareandfancychickens.htm
Commercial use: A general purpose non-sitting fowl originally Good egg production Not a good ‘yard bird’, due to visual impairment and predation
Characteristics: Gentle and friendly bird but startle easily Not good at foragers Not broody
Not a breed of chicken
Sex-links are a result of a predetermined cross that results in sexable male and female chicks at hatch
http://www.countryhatchery.net/chickens.htmlhttp://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=162760
Most often used in the commercial egg industry to produce brown egg laying strains
Often called Red Stars, Cinnamon Queens, Bovans, Cherry Eggers, Production Reds
Resource Website
APPPA American Pastured PoultryProducers Association
www.apppa.org
Pastured Poultry Resources pasturedpoultry.org
Pasture poultry yahoo group http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/PasturePoultry
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)
attra.ncat.org
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
www.sare.org
This presentation is part of an educational modular program designed to provide new and beginning farmers and ranchers with relevant information to initiate, improve and run their agricultural operations.
This presentation was prepared through a collaboration effort and funded by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
The following institutions and agencies helped to develop and prepare this educational material
• USDA-NIFA-BFRDP 2010 – 03143 • USDA-NIFA-BFRDP 2014 – 07424• USDA-NIFA-BFRDP 2017 – 01804