Best White Egg Layer (must be calm and people friendly)

[hipeatall]

I recently realized that I have every color in my egg basket except white! Soooo, I am looking for the BEST white egg layer out there to add to my flock of Marans, Ameraucanas, Olive Eggers & Swedish Flower Hens. I have done a little digging and I am finding that a lot of the white egg layer breeds are known for being flighty and that they avoid human contact . Hey, I'm not looking for a lap chicken... I just want a flock that runs to me... not away from me. So I am here looking for advice on the happiest, friendliest breed that lays a WHITE egg! Thanks in advance

 

[Michael OShay]

The best white egg layers (along with the sex links) in the entire chicken world are White Leghorns, which unfortunately are flighty and high strung. It's why I don't have White Leghorns any more. Mine screamed bloody murder whenever I handled them, and my children, who frequently made lap pets of our chickens, were never able to do so with our Leghorns. The best white egg layers that are more gentle and docile are the hybrids such as Austra Whites, which are produced by a crossing Black Australorp (excellent layer and very calm and gentle) rooster with a White Leghorn hen. The only potential downside to an Austra White is that their eggs are almost a cream color as opposed to the chalk white eggs of the Leghorns. California Whites, which are produced by crossing a California Gray rooster with a White leghorn hen are also fairly docile and excellent layers of large, white eggs.

 

[donrae]

I had brown Leghorns and liked them. I'm not hand's on chicken keeper, but like you I don't want the birds freaking out just cause I walk through the flock. My brown Leghorns were more reactive than my dual purpose birds, but not like hurting themselves trying to get away or anything. Plus, they're pretty little things, don't eat hardly anything and lay tons of large eggs.

I don't have experience with them personally, but a Mincora is a larger white egg layer, they may be a little more docile with the larger size.

 

[Michael OShay]

The best white egg layers (along with the sex links) in the entire chicken world are White Leghorns, which unfortunately are flighty and high strung.

Actually I meant to say the best egg layers (sex links are brown egg layers) in the chicken world are . . . Sorry about the typo.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Leghorns are excellent white egg layers. However, they are usually on the skittish side. If you tame them really well then they'll probably end up being friendly. Silkies are rated #1 as far as family friendly breeds. They are super affectionate! However, they are poor, white egg layers and go broody very often.

 

[hipeatall]

Thanks for the replies so far... please keep them coming!
Might try out some California Whites... hopefully they won't be crazy skittish like Leghorns!

 

[KurtG]

I will go further astray and say White Sultans,, not very good on the laying side but on the other end of the dispotion scale as leghorns.

 

[ColoradoPeeps]

We have 2 White Leghorns in our flock of 10. When I found out we were getting them, I was a little disappointed. I too had heard of their flighty reputation and I wanted my 3 kids and I to have "chicken pets". I am happy to report that our two Leghorns have actually turned out to be very friendly. As this is my first flock, I don't have a lot to compare them with, but both come to us for treats and one of them always hops up on our laps to hang out when were are in the coop I will say that because of the reputation we did A LOT of handling of them when they were chicks. Maybe mine are the exception to the rule, but we have been pleasantly surprised.

 

[donrae]

I forgot all about my barred Hollands. I got them from Ideal last year at the end of May. They've not started laying yet so I'm not sure how productive they are, but they're not at all skittish. I have a hard time telling them from my cuckoo Marans and barred Rocks as far as temperament goes.

 

[123RedBeard]

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