I would like a mixed flock of similar sized brown or colored egg layers

[CloneFly]

Marans, golden sexlinks or RiRs for brown eggs and cream legbars or EEs for blue/green!

TSC had some sexlinked marans earlier this year and their eggs are a lovely dark, speckled brown! My golden sexlinks lay decently dark brown eggs as well, though the shade is closer to that of my RIRs than a maran. As for blue/green eggs, I've had a good experience with my cream legbar and EEs! They're fairly reliable layers. I also have amerarucanas, but I haven't seen an egg out of them in a while
(might be egg cannibalism, but I digress)

All these breeds are fairly "normal" sized and have been reliable layers for me thus far. Keep us updated on what breeds you eventually do decide on though!

 

[Loving my girls]

Hi there,
I am planning to increase my flock of 8 by 2 this year.
My current flock are between 2 and 2.9kg so I am looking for any hen weight in this area,
I tend to avoid any classed as broody.
I avoid flighty birds like leghorns.
As it gets hot here in the summer (into the 40c sometimes) I aim for heat tolerant.
My research has shown that soft feather, overly fluffy hens tend to be broody.
Also hens that are heat tolerant generally have a large crown to cool down.
I also avoid hens with too much up top, such as hollandaise as, in my experience, they can have eye sight problems.
Avoid any hens with specific frequent ailments, wyandottes are prone to bumblefoot for example.
Well, that’s my advice and I hope it helps.
Bonne chance.

 

[kalsea]

I'm in fountain- if you want to split shipping on a chick order let me know!

I really have come to love birds with pea combs here because of the resistance to frost bite. My EEs take a break in the winter but they do so well in the summer. I was given RIRs from the lady at Big R and while they have big combs they're incredible layers year round. Welsummers also do great here but they're not prolific layers.

I absolutely regret Salmon Faverolles. Their feathered feat don't do well and they go so broody in the heat.

 

[PachanPeeps]

Howdy neighbor! I'm at ~7,500 elevation out here with a mixed flock of Wyandottes, Welsummers, Easter Eggers, Russian Orloff, and Barred Rocks. They all do very well for me with our weather, even the single combed gals.

My Wyandottes and Bared Rocks are the best layers with Easter Eggers coming in next. The Russian Orloffs are my worst layers, but they're SO cute I don't care cause the 'dottes and rocks make up for it. Welsummers are so-so, but their dark brown and speckled eggs are too pretty to resist!

I get my chickies from from Big R, Wardles, and https://www.serenitysprouts.com/.

Good luck!!

 

[Grumpy Lady]

Hi Colorado neighbor! I'm in the front range too. For egg colors, I really love my black copper and wheaten marans and my olive eggers. Northern Colorado Feeders Supply in Fort Collins has the best variety of chicks in the area. They post a shipment list on their Facebook every week during the spring, and get new chicks once a week. It's a 3 hour round trip drive for me, and I think it's totally worth it once a year. My favorites I got from them last year are my wheaten marans, who lays the darkest eggs in my flock, and my Easter egger who lays a really pretty mint green and has lovely gold and silver feathers.(She's in the middle of the picture). My olive eggers are from Wardle Feed in Arvada.

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Thank you for the beautiful photos. I have heard good things about the Northern Colorado Feeder Supply in Fort Collins

 

[Grumpy Lady]

Be sure to look for cold hardy birds. We are in Southern Colorado and at almost 9k feet, so our winters are likely colder, snowier and windy'er. We've had Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Brahamas, RIR and asst EEs, all have done well. I think Orpingtons, Wyandottes and Brahmas are larger than Australorps are, so maybe larger than you want?

Are you thinking mail order or local purchase? Where abouts are you? I know Colorado Springs has a nice independent store where I have gotten young pullets from, but they are closing down (unless they can sell to new owner.) I'm pretty sure there is a feed store in Ft Collins that also sells young pullets. On Facebook, I've found a Southern Colorado group...and in there, I found a local seller for EE's.

In case you haven't seen it, here is the Colorado thread. It may have some resources too.

Thank you for the Colorado thread link!

 

[Love Donkeys]

We don't have a mixed flock, they are all Speckled Sussex. In NE Alabama we have temperatures from 17° to 105°+ with humidity. The Speckled Sussexs are happy-go-lucky, chatty, lay large tan eggs and may go broody when they have age on them. I have used Hoovers Hatchery with great success.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My SLW lay a medium egg, slightly pinkish cast in some light, tan in color and are definitely cold hardy. They are also the most active/alert of my original birds. Down side is that they only lay maybe 4 days in 7 when they start, and mine took about 7 mo to start laying.

Could also consider a RIR or New Hamp - prodigious egg layers,and early.

 

[Loving my girls]

I absolutely regret Salmon Faverolles. Their feathered feat don't do well and they go so broody in the heat.

I totally agree, we have a wood here and my white hen is never white, muddy footprints are frequent when it’s rainy, they always find the mud.
Fluffy legs are something I also avoid, I think they would take longer to dry out ergo problems (I have no experience in this just my calculated opinion)

 

[Friendofchix]

I have 2 ISA Brown hens. They lay nearly every day, very large brown eggs. They are on the smaller side, and very friendly. They are cold hardy, heat tolerant, and know for being very adaptable to their environment.