Help comparing among 3 available breeds/mixes

[Happy Novogens]

Hot, dry climate (Phoenix, AZ area). Looking for 3 hens (our first chickens) to lay eggs. Originally was set on Buff Orpingtons. Found someone selling some but they are currently 6 weeks old, so no way to ensure sex.
I have found 2 other options on craigs'list.

One is for "red star aurcana mixed." They are 4-5 months old.
The other is for something I've not heard of but had the following included in the description:
- Novogen Brownies - "... are calm. Few egg layers are as productive or easy to manage as Novogen chickens. These Novogen Brown stock typically lay 395 big brown eggs with thick shells during their first 72 weeks of egg laying. By 20 weeks of age (mid to end of August), a Novogen hen is already laying eggs at 50% of her maximum yield. At their peak, these egg-laying champs produce at 93-95%. Add this to their superior ability to adapt to any number of environments (from housing to free-range), and you’ve got a near-perfect egg-laying chicken."

"The Novogen Brown chicken is a Red Sex Link developed in France, resulting from a cross between the Rhode Island Red and Rhode Island White but are a smaller bird more efficient egg layer of large eggs and great feed to egg ratios."

I'm attaching the ad photos that were included.

Aside from their appearance (I'd like pretty ones which they all seem to be), can anyone help me decide?
1. Buff Orpingtons
2. Red Star aurcana mixed
3. Novogen Brownie

 

[3KillerBs]

How old are the birds in question?

If you're not wanting to raise chicks and absolutely have to be sure of the sex, then ideally, you'd want Point-of-Lay Pullets -- young females who are of age to start laying.

If you buy mature hens the stress of the change is likely to throw them into a molt, which could take months to complete and after which they will not lay as well as young birds.

In your climate birds with clean legs and large single combs will probably take the heat better.

IIRC, Novagen Browns are sex-linked layers -- thus likely to be highly productive for a couple years but possibly prone to reproductive problems as they age.

Hope this information helps.

 

[Happy Novogens]

How old are the birds in question?

If you're not wanting to raise chicks and absolutely have to be sure of the sex, then ideally, you'd want Point-of-Lay Pullets -- young females who are of age to start laying.

If you buy mature hens the stress of the change is likely to throw them into a molt, which could take months to complete and after which they will not lay as well as young birds.

In your climate birds with clean legs and large single combs will probably take the heat better.

IIRC, Novagen Browns are sex-linked layers -- thus likely to be highly productive for a couple years but possibly prone to reproductive problems as they age.

Hope this information helps.

The Red Star aurcana mixes are 4-5 months old.
The Novagen Browns will be 20 weeks mid to end of August (so 4 months now).
Would be able to bring them home this week.

 

[3KillerBs]

The Red Star aurcana mixes are 4-5 months old.
The Novagen Browns will be 20 weeks mid to end of August (so 4 months).
Would be able to bring them home this week.

Good. Not older birds.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/go-ahead-pick-the-prettiest-chickens.76277/

 

[Happy Novogens]

These are 3 girls I'm hoping to pick up this week! (These are from the person who had mixes.) Any thoughts on breed? Could they be Red Star/Arcauna mixes?

 

[3KillerBs]

They're unlikely to be actual Araucana mixes because that's a rare and unusual breed, or even Ameraucanas, which are not *as* rare but still unusual in hatchery birds -- but Easter Eggers are often sold as "Americanas" and people get confused by the frankly deceptive naming.

If they hatched from blue eggs then they're likely to lay blue and thus deserve to be called Easter Eggers.

They ought to be productive and hardy -- as well as really lovely.

The various "egger" breeds are known for their interesting color patterns as well as for their hybrid vigor.

 

[Happy Novogens]

He did say they lay blue-green or brown eggs.

Thanks for that info. He said he's had chickens for about 15 years now. He's pretty confident they are female. I don't suppose one can guess sex from those photos?

 

[3KillerBs]

He did say they lay blue-green or brown eggs.

Thanks for that info. He said he's had chickens for about 15 years now. He's pretty confident they are female. I don't suppose one can guess sex from those photos?

At that age they're pullets.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Are pullets old enough to be fed all-flock? I'm assuming so. Isn't that what's meant by all flock?

 

[3KillerBs]

Are pullets old enough to be fed all-flock? I'm assuming so. Isn't that what's meant by all flock?

Yes.

I put my chicks onto All-Flock at about 4-6 weeks as they're integrating into the main coop.