Proven breed of winter and summer egg laying, Lower Mainland of BC

Ya, guess I am on this morning about my Sister. She lives in Surrey, and Surrey has very recently gone along the same line as Vancouver, and doing a pilot project of allowing some backyard hens. Yes, hens, (no roosters for very obvious reasons), but the allowance of hens has occurred. Only four hens. Maximum number, for a large family, four eggs a day is not huge, but so...just don’t eat eggs every day, smiling. When we do a coastal trip, I always try to bring along as many homegrown eggs as I can. After years of her living on our property back in Maple Ridge, and we had homegrown eggs coming out our ears, it has been very difficult for her to have a desire to purchase eggs not farm raised, but of course, yes she has.

So, I had obtained the information about the Surrey project and she inquired. Yes it is true, the allowance of four back yard hens. This is where I am coming to my forum friends, to get input as to what is what. I only have cochins and buff orpingtons and feel that I cannot help her out. The breeds that I have are not what I would call the best egg layers, consistently, as they have tendency to go broody. If the allowance in Surrey was for as many hens as one wanted, I would give her birds, I have many layers I could pass forward to her, and I would. But this is not in the game plan. I would hate for her to have 4 hens that are not laying well, cause they want to do nothing but raise babies. Some of mine don’t have that on their mind, and lay all year, but I can’t take a chance.

I told her that I would inquire with my forum friends for someone that has egg layers. The breed does not matter, just as long as the breed is one that does not have broody propensity and will lay throughout winter. I do know that Sussex comes to mind. Although I really have not delved into what breeds would be the best for the expectations that I would expect. Winter layer, little desire for being broody.

Whatcha got? Ideas? Who has any young birds, point of lay up to about 1.5 years old is what I would like to obtain for her. The birds would need to be in the Lower Mainland area of BC, so northern folk or Alberta folk, no need to tell whatcha got. I don’t want her to go with the Isa brown type, yes, they are wonderful for laying, but I would prefer her to stick to a purebred heritage, or a cross, of perhaps two breeds, just as long as the bird is deemed a good layer. Hope the expectations are not too high. I am thinking Caramel queen hybrid...TruNorth??? So this is my request, my Sister is on my mind these days. Have a most wonderful day, CynthiaM.

I would go with a typical commercial type layer for what she wants. I dont' like saying it as I am a heritage breed person all the way, but those commercial layers fade at 2 or so years. She would be best to get 2 this year and 2 next and then just recycle them every year or so. That is if she wants purely eggs for family. If they want 'pets' to some of the heritage birds may work ok.

I realy like my Ameraucana's they are
hardy and lay well. This year I bought
20 poults from Performance and am
very surprised they are now 6 mths old
and some started laying weeks ago and
more are starting. I was under the
impression that heritage take longer
to lay more like 8 mths.
I also like there personality we now
have our first 1" of snow and they
still fly over my head when I open
the trap door in the morning.
They love to be outside.

CynthiaM wrote: I am thinking Caramel queen hybrid...TruNorth???  

I am by far the least experienced person here so my two cents worth is probably a puff of smoke in the wind but I saw your comment on Caramel Queens.  The people we got our Barred Rocks and Light Sussex from also had Caramel Queens.  I believe they must have come from Tru North because they have only got a few breeds listed on their website and these three are there.  The sellers had maybe 45 chickens in a paddock and divide that amount into thirds for each breed.  I was allowed to choose from all of them -  but not the Caramel Queens.  Not sure why but they for sure were the most calm and friendly birds there.  Then the Light Sussex and then the Barred Rocks.  I chose two of each of the latter.  The L. Sussex are still laying an egg between them a day and occasionally Fattybum (B. Rock) will do one too.  I love the B. Rock colored eggs  -  darker brown :-).   The people were selling them off because they were inundated with eggs and couldn't keep up with the amount but guess that is a lot of chickens for just two people.  All young pullets in first year of lay. Tru North is down nearer to your sister too aren't they?

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Ameraucanas are good layers in the winter - egg colour in our VERY our mixed flock always shifts towards blue in the dark months (we don't use lights). We have two Caramel Queens, and they are charming lovely calm productive birds. Both of them have gone broody at least two (maybe three?) times in each of the past two years, though.

I'd suggest two amers and two production birds, either ISA browns (or similar) or leghorns - can't beat leghorns for production. Or CQs, if she's willing to take the time to break them up.

I am still working on this.  I don't want her to have production Isa or something like that.  I might just bite that bullet and give her a gift of four heritage.   She has had sexsal links when we were on the farm, and I just want something nice and beautiful, her birthday is coming up in January.  I would do almost anything for my baby Sisters, both of them...anyways, got time to think about what is what, make some inquiries to some people who I know have stuff down there.  Not going production.  I want these birds with her for years, I want them healthy too, and they have to be beautiful as well.  I am a visual person, as is she too.  Production is very important, as only 4 birds, with oh so many kids, smiling.  So, not sure where I am going from here, but much to think about these days.  I would certainly give her four of my buffs, she loves my buff orpingtons, but they really do like to go broody.  Geeze, if only she could have more than 4.  Four for eggs, four for whatevers, if they went broody, oh well.  Wonder how many chicks Surrey allows   .  Also, evidently this is a pilot project in Surrey for a year, until next fall. Should it come about, these hens would require to be something that I could take back and live with me on my farm.  Geeze, Coopslave, why did you move, I could have given her Coopers from you, I coulda got more, they fill everything I would wish in a pretty bird for my baby Sista.....she can't have mine, I'm keeping mine, cause they are from you, and that part of you lives on here, but trust me, I have thought deeply about this, very deeply, and that thought is still not closed.  Thank you all for the comments, keep more coming, I like that.  Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

Right, forgot to mention, Lower Mainland, think mild winters, no need really for a small combed birds, large combed birds do well on the coast, think rain, lots of rain....

Ok, commercial birds are out.  Let's all put our thinking caps on.
I still think she should get 2 this year and then 2 next.  The 2 this year will lay thru and when she adds the 2 the next year, they will cover with eggs when the first 2 go into their first big moult.

Hate to say it CynthiaM, but the first Coopers all went broody.  Not sure about the blues yet, next year will tell.  I wouldn't mind breeding that out of them a bit as the PChants are bad enough.

I would surely provide some from the Coopers program that do not fit, for here.  There are lots of pullets that just don't match what I want each year, but that is a ways off.  I have this other little project on the go too, and they are very nice temperamented, inquisitive birds that next season are going to be really pretty, but again a bit of a wait.

So maybe you do need to think a bit more of a barnyard type cross, instead of an actual 'breed'.  They often have all the nice attributes of the heritage birds they came from and even more pluses from hybrid vigour.
If not that route, just get her 4 completely different heritage breeds for eye candy!!!  Party chickens it is!!!

I've got 7 RIR pullets, 3 months old, a couple of Ameraucanas, about 4 months, 3 RIR X Lt Sussex that should start laying any time (really pretty gold with black necklace and tail feathers). I don't think any of them would be likely to go broody. Does that help?

Rhode Island Reds. I ended up with two that were supposed to be PRs. They have not gone broody and lay pretty much daily, except during molt. They'd be my suggestion.

[quote="SucellusFarms"]I've got 7 RIR pullets, 3 months old, a couple of Ameraucanas, about 4 months, 3 RIR X Lt Sussex that should start laying any time (really pretty gold with black necklace and tail feathers). I don't think any of them would be likely to go broody. Does that help? [/quote

Actually Sucellus, this is more along the line that I was thinking, a hybrid, and those RIR X Light sussex might certainly be something that I would be looking at. The two breeds would make a lovely hybrid, and the fourth would be RIR.....I am taking this to email format. Think we got it!

Coopslave, two this year and two next year is not even in the equation. This is a pilot project Surrey is entertaining, it will be until next fall, so one year, and if it goes well, it will continue. I know Vancouver bagan that allowance, and still has it going, so hopefully Surrey will too. I just wish they would allow 6 hens per household, that would make for "enough" eggs to save for a couple of days for a good meal. My Sister is getting very stoked, as she knows what her big Sister is up to....she has a nice bunch of wood given to her by a neighbour that has torn down some fences. This girl has the ability to design with wood and such, as well as the skill to design and sew clothing that would have a movie star standing in awe. She has incredible design skills and bet she will have the coop of the century, with very little cost. She needs four hens, no less. Have an awesome day, CynthiaM.

Cynthia, here is a pic of those hybrid girls with their Light Sussex sisters taken this summer. They are much plumper now.

look at the grass! ooooooooooooooooooweeeeeeeeeeee.

they look pretty darned happy. I have an Amerucauna x Rhode Island Red (Rita Hayworth) who is the sweetest little pullet. She looks like a sparrow :-).

The grass isn't looking so pretty now that the winter rains have come.  

SucellusFarms wrote:The grass isn't looking so pretty now that the winter rains have come.  

guess that means mud. I grew up with mud in the winter - that was the worst thing - and damp cold which seems to be worse than dry cold.

Thanks for the picture Sucellus, I have taken this to email format. I believe that the hybrid will be a good way to go, and will be a non-setty, massive egg laying machine. I bet they look even nicer now that they are somewhat older. The Columbian pattern on the crosses will make for some very pretty birds, love black on gold. Thanks for the picture. Have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.