Best Heritage Breed Egg Layers?

[JPadronMiami]

I've been trying my hand at picking up a few different breeds of Heritage chickens looking for the hardiest breed for my region that lay the most eggs. Currently I have Australorp's, EE's, Brown Leghorns, Jersey Giants, Rhode Island Reds, and a few Starlight Green Eggers, we are having one of the hottest humid summers in Miami right now and I think the Australorps are handling the heat and humidity better than the others, also laying more eggs than the others, can you folks share some of your experience with poultry variety and performance? I have a group of about 16 hens that are reaching the 4 year mark and although they are still producing good large brown eggs, I know they will start declining soon in the egg production, so Id like to start looking into other Heritage Breeds to replace them, Joe

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The White Leghorn is far and away the most prolific breed and variety. Being a Mediterranean breed, it is more heat tolerant than any of the others you mentioned. All of the 10 plus varieties of Leghorns are prolific but the white is the best in that regard. So, in my mind, if you want a heat tolerant bird that is a great layer, there isn't another option. Now if you can do with somewhat lower production, there are enough heat tolerant breeds/varieties.
RIRs are very prolific and just a bit below the Leghorn but I wouldn't think anyone would confuse them as being heat hardy.
Other exceptional breeds, look at Penedesencas, Catalanas, Andalusians, then Spanish, Anconas and Jaerhons.
Notice anything about that list? All but the last are Mediterranean class.
Also prolific and somewhat heat tolerant are Delaware, New Hampshire, Transylvanian Naked Neck.
Cubalayas and Fayoumi are very heat hardy but less productive.

https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/poultry-breeds/

 

[JPadronMiami]

Hello, thank you for sharing, you've mentioned some breeds and variety's of poultry Id never even heard of, I looked in 1 of my Murray McMurray catalogs and managed to find a few of those variety's in there, we are hobbyists, makes sense that the Mediterranean breeds are better equipped to handle heat, we have a tendency to get poultry that maybe on a conservatory priority list, its why we like the heritage breeds. I will try out some of those that you've mentioned, interesting story's behind some of those, history. much appreciated, Joe

 

[Sic]

Maybe look into Minorca, great breed. Murray McMurray has them too.

 

[Amer]

I agree: Leghorns, Minorcas, White Faced Spanish, and Ancona are all breeds known for heat tolerance and laying abilities.
However, they are quite active breeds so if you want something more docile you may choose something else.
Mind you, I say active, not flighty; some strains and individuals from the Mediterranean class are flighty but others are quite curious and friendly. Even a curious, friendly bird can be hard to catch though, unless they let you. Speak with a breeder or read hatchery reviews if you want to know the personality.
Typically, breeders will breed friendlier birds since they don’t want to deal with something off the walls and it won’t show well in the show cage.

 

[JPadronMiami]

thank you for your input folks, will take under consideration, I have more or less about another year before I decide which way to go to replace some of the older stock with the younger stock.