Egg-Laying chicken breeds are chickens with egg-laying abilities. Some egg-laying breeds have better capacity than others which may be a consideration if you’re looking for good egg production in your backyard chickens.
In this article, we will look at 10 of the best egg-laying chickens.
10 Best Egg Laying Chickens Chart
In this article, we will discuss some of the best egg-laying chickens known for their egg production. Below is a list of the ten best egg-laying chickens and some of their habits and capabilities. We’ll discuss what makes each chicken a great egg layer and compare them side-by-side.
| Breed | Egg Production (Annually) |
| White Leghorns | 280 |
| Rhode Island Red | 260 |
| Red Sex Link | 250 |
| Ameraucana | 250 |
| Barred Plymouth Rock | 250 |
| Golden Laced Wyandottes | 200 |
| New Hampshire Red | 200 |
| Blue Orpington | 180 |
| Andalusian | 150 |
| Light Sussex | 120 |
If you want your beloved chickens to produce more eggs then their environment needs to be just right. See, Chickens, much like us can be sensitive creatures so knowing how many times a day to feed your chickens will help relieve stress on your flock. How many nesting boxes per chicken should also be considered as you don’t want too many or too few.
10 Best Egg-Laying Chickens
The egg-laying chickens below have a yearly average of 150+ in egg production, and these are some of the most common egg layers found on small farms around the world today! These hens will not only provide you with tons of fresh eggs for consumption, but they also serve as great egg producers.
It’s great to know the best egg producers out there but how long do they produce for, check out what age do chickens stop laying eggs to find out more.
White Leghorns
White Leghorns are one of the best egg-laying chickens. White Leghorn chickens are a hardy breed that lays large white eggs. They lay around 280 eggs per year if they have sufficient food, water, and warmth. They are known for their egg production and have more egg-laying capacity than others, which may be a consideration if you’re looking for good egg production in your backyard chickens.
They prefer to be free-ranging and are good egg producers. White Leghorns also lay eggs that are egg-shaped and brown with speckles. It is essential to note the White Leghorn’s egg production may decrease if they’re confined in their hen house during winter months but will increase when free-ranging
White Leghorn chickens are nervous due to their high sensitivity, but they will produce eggs at a steady rate when caged. White Leghorns are suitable for both free-range and caged conditions in the summer and produce large amounts of buttery-rich eggs.
Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island Red egg-laying chickens are good egg producers. They have slightly smaller eggs than the White Leghorns, averaging about 210 eggs per year which is a little less productive than the White Leghorn but still enough for egg production needs.
They’re known as great layers with an egg-laying capacity that can meet your backyard chicken demands and needs. One egg-laying chicken breed is not enough to meet your egg production needs. You’ll need at least two chickens to have the best egg-laying breeds possible and keep up with egg demand.
A related article that might interest you is when Rhode Island Reds start laying
Rhode Island Reds are known as great layers and produce eggs that can be used to eat or hatch out chicks of their own! If you’re looking for a backyard chicken breed that will provide plenty of eggs throughout the year, look no further than Rhode Island Red egg-laying chickens.”
Red Sex Link
Red Sex Links are great egg layers because they lay about 250 eggs per year. They produce large, light brown eggs, among the most popular choices for egg-laying chickens out there today.
The Red Sex Link chicken is one of the best breeds for cold climates. It lays an average of between 250 to 300 eggs per year. These eggs are large and light brown.
The egg-laying ability of a hen is largely dependent on the quality and quantity of feed she receives. If you want to have plenty of eggs each day, try feeding your hens eggshells as they can consume up to five pounds per year. The best egg-laying chickens have access to pasture land where grazing provides them with all the vitamins needed for healthy egg production.
The egg-laying period for this breed is December through March when the days are long but cold. The Red Sex Link chicken is also hardier than most breeds of chickens and can easily withstand temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
The laying behaviors of Red Sex Link chickens make them a desirable breed for your flock. They are laid-back in temperament, don’t mind living with other birds, and can start laying eggs at just 15 weeks old. They start laying at about 18 months old and continue producing until they’re around four or five years old.
Ameraucana
The Ameraucana chicken is a subtype of the Araucana breed. They are egg-laying chickens that lay around 250 eggs per year, making them an excellent choice for egg farming.
This breed of egg-laying chickens lays light blue or greenish tinted eggs at around 180-250 per year – not too far off from some other breeds who lay brown or cream-colored eggs. Ameraucanas are best suited for free-range environments because they prefer it over any confinement.
They’re egg-laying chickens known for their white feathers and ears that grow almost to the tip of their nose. They have a docile temperament which means they can be hand-tamed easily. This is sometimes beneficial if you want to keep them close by when in confined spaces like an egg production greenhouse or on your farm as it will prevent them from flying away,
Its egg-laying abilities make this chicken one of the best egg layers among all breeds out there. Still, due to it being more fragile than other hens, some people may not recommend using these for free-range environments at all times because of how sensitive they are and don’t do too well when exposed to harsh weather conditions.
Barred Plymouth Rock
The Barred Plymouth Rock is a dual-purpose egg-laying chicken. They are an excellent choice for egg farming, as they lay around 250 eggs per year and can also be used to produce meat.
The barred pattern of the feathers is distinctive in this breed, as their feathers will have distinct light bars across dark patterns: it’s from here that they get their name.
The Barred Rock chickens are a true heritage breed with origins dating back over 150 years when farmers first brought these birds to North America from England in the 1860s. This bird was distinguished for its egg-laying ability and hardiness against harsh weather conditions like drought or snowstorms. Hence, they were such a desirable animal when provisions were limited, and any egg-laying chickens were a prized possession.
The egg-laying skills of the Barred Rock chicken are one of their most distinguishing features, producing 250 eggs per year on average in contrast to only 180 with other breeds, and they are capable of laying these eggs at any time during the day or night, every 25 hours!
Some say that this egg production has been attributed to being fed more grains than others due to their large size (they weigh around 15 pounds), but regardless it’s clear why many farmers found them so valuable.
Some breeders will keep hens for breeding purposes, too, as opposed to just eating them once they’ve stopped laying, which means you can get an egg from a barred rock hen up until she dies – not something most egg farmers will do.
The egg-laying habits of barred rock chickens are also what makes them so popular with backyard chicken enthusiasts or those who are looking to start a business in the egg industry – they’re one of the best egg-laying breeds.
Golden Laced Wyandottes
The Golden Laced Wyandottes egg-laying chickens are a dual-purpose breed. They can produce around 200 eggs per year and be used for meat production at 12 weeks old.
They are small egg-laying chicken that doesn’t require much space. The Golden Laced Wyandottes egg-laying chickens became popular when it was introduced into North America at the turn of the 20th century as an ornamental breed because of their colorful plumage. Still, they also proved to be one of the best egg layers among all breeds available.
It’s been reported by some sources that these particular egg-laying chickens don’t fly well and can become frightened easily due to their feather patterning resembling predator eyeshadow markings on smaller animals.
The Golden Laced Wyandottes egg-laying chickens are considered a dual-purpose breed, with males weighing up to 11 pounds and females at about eight pounds; they don’t have a large frame compared to other egg layers like the Leghorns or Rhode Island Reds.
They also do not need much space for egg production but require more than some bantam breeds because it takes them longer to complete an egg set.
New Hampshire Red
The New Hampshire Red is also a great egg-laying chicken as it has an egg production of about 200 eggs per year which is pretty high for this breed. The hens are friendly with humans, but they can be aggressive towards other chickens, so they may not do well when mixed in one coop or run. Breeding them close to each other is key if you want lots of eggs!
New Hampshire Red egg-laying chickens are a great egg producer. Although they may be aggressive towards other chickens, New Hampshire can be raised close to each other in one coop or run and produce lots of eggs as a result. You must provide them with plenty of feed so they will continue laying well!
These egg-laying chickens have a dark red plumage with white patches and barring. The feathers are medium in length, but the hens can be aggressive towards each other, so it’s important to keep them close together if you want lots of eggs! New Hampshire is also best for warmer climates since it originated from Northern America.
They stand about 18 inches tall and weigh about 12 pounds, making this egg-laying chicken breed hardy when raised outside or inside because they’re not too delicate during cold weather. They lay approximately 200 eggs per year, usually starting at around 16 weeks old or as soon as they’ve reached their full size (12 lbs).
New Hampshire Red egg-laying chickens make a great egg-laying chicken breed for those of you who are new to chickens or don’t have a lot of experience keeping them!
Blue Orpington
One egg-producing bird developed from crossing various breeds like Sussex Down and Jersey Giant is the White Leghorn. It was developed in Italy around 1840, and they were bred for their egg-laying abilities. They are genuinely amazing egg layers.
The average number of eggs a year from these birds can be as high as 120-180 depending on various factors, including how much grain or feed it has access to, its overall health & age. Still, you will usually get at least 180 eggs per hen per year, making them an excellent choice if your goal is to have lots of fresh farm eggs!
The egg-laying abilities of these birds mean that you will need to protect them from predators. You may want to install a roosting pole near the nest where they lay eggs and place it somewhere safe so egg thieves can’t get at them. Plus, make sure there are some protective coverings on your nests as well!
If all goes according to plan with egg production, this could be one way for you to have an additional source of income. But before pursuing egg-laying chickens as a business venture, do plenty of research about how much time & energy is required by those people who sell fresh farm eggs into egg markets. To be an egg producer, you do not have to keep chickens in cages. However, some egg-laying breeds lay more eggs than others, and those would work best for your needs.
This bird is an easy keeper and does well on just about any feed – it’s also bred to withstand harsh weather conditions, making them perfect for climates like ours in the Midwest United States! They can produce up to 180 large brown eggs per year with a weight of around 12 ounces each egg.
Andalusian
Andalusian egg-laying chickens are one of the best egg-laying chicken breeds to have if you live in a cold climate. They are hardy birds and lay more than 150 eggs per year! If you want blue egg-laying chickens for your flock, then there would be some of your best options. And they are pretty too!
Their feathers can come in different colors like black or white with red highlights (also known as “Black Spanish”). This breed works well for those who keep backyard gardens and don’t need large numbers of poultry. It also doesn’t take them long to grow up either – just 17 weeks from hatching until maturity.
If you have a large backyard, maybe the Ameraucana (a type of Blue Egg Layer Hen) would work for you. It can produce up to 150 brown egg layers every week! Plus, they come in many different colors like black, white, buff, or splash. They need a lot more care than other hens because their feathers will mat if left too long without being clipped back.
Light Sussex
Light Sussex egg-laying chickens typically weigh in at around 11 pounds. They also have a good disposition and can be gentle enough to handle well by children if they’ve been raised correctly. This breed can lay 120 eggs per year, produces yellow eggs, and has some problems with mites because of their light brown plumage coloration, which can attract insects.
These birds tend to go broody often, too, so you may want to consider getting them out on pasture during the day as much as possible for this reason. Light Sussex egg-laying chickens take about nineteen weeks before their first egg-laying season begins.
Light Sussex egg-laying chickens seem best suited toward being housed in relatively small coops and do not need huge runs but instead benefit from plenty of fresh grassy space available nearby where they can roam freely.
The egg production of this variety is relatively low, and you won’t be getting many eggs per year compared to other breeds, but the quality of those eggs will be high with a deep yellow yolk.
This hen might not be ideal for commercial egg farming because she doesn’t lay as often, and production isn’t that heavy, but they are an excellent choice if you want your chickens near where you live so that tending them daily isn’t such a chore!
Conclusion
Choosing the proper egg-laying chicken for your homestead is a vital decision, as they will provide you with fresh eggs and help produce more. Many different breeds of chickens lay eggs, but it’s essential to consider what type of hen best fits your farm lifestyle before investing in one.
Some tips for increasing egg production include changing egg-laying chickens’ diets, making sure they get enough calcium and vitamins in their eggshells with plenty of fresh water to drink.
Egg layer chickens are extraordinary for homesteaders who want an easier life but still enjoy farm living.
These ten breeds are some of the best egg producers, providing you with delicious and healthy eggs while also supplying your family or community with a valuable food source. Whether you’re looking for a great egg producer or just want to know more about these chickens, the ten best egg-laying chickens will provide all of this and so much more.
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