Isa browns ?

[mamabigbird]

I have looked at the mind-boggling list of breeds on this site, and can't see any reference to Isa browns. I was told that the birds I got were Isa browns. They look a lot like Rhode Island reds and yet they don't lay as regularly as the Rhodies I had years ago. They (Isa browns) were 22 months when we got them and never did produce well. We've had them almost a year now and I wonder if they are too old to be still laying. I'm inclined to let them just be pets, but would like to add some fresh layer girls to the mix. I also have a few mixed breeds that a family member bred. Auracana/? whatsits. They lay nice blue/green eggs but again very sporatically. Of 9 hens I only get 2-3 eggs a day. They do get out to forage on the property each day so I wonder if some have stashes out in the rough areas?

 

[blackdotte]

ISA Browns are not a breed, they are a commercial hybrid, orangy-red with a white tail. They are designed to produce lots of eggs for 1 year. If you got yours at 22 months chances they are culls from a commercial cage farm.
They tend to be short livid, many dieing from cancerous tumors from 18 months of age.
David

 

[mamabigbird]

Well how about that. Yes they were from a small comercial operation. They have been slowly dying off. We started with 12 and only have 4 left. So I guess they will just be pets then until they die off too. Thanks for the info. Chicken people rock!

 

[Illia]

Your Araucanas are mutts called Easter Eggers (Araucanas are very rare) but yeah, ISA Browns are created with the crossing of RIR and I believe Leghorn, by industries, to create ultimate egg layers. They aren't a breed, just a hybrid.

 

[patandchickens]

I did a page on them at https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-ISA_Browns

Mine had longevity problems, so I never got to find out how they laid after the first year or so... but I would expect them to need lighting to lay through the winter after their first winter, and would expect them to lay more poorly in "advanced years" than some other types of chickens do.

They sure were nice, friendly chickens though.

Pat

 

[mamabigbird]

I checked out the link you posted , and,YUP those are my girls! They do have amazing personalities and I'm sure they actually know their names. I guess they're doing pretty good for being about 3 years old. I still get the lovely big dark brown eggs occasionaly, and I figure it's one of the Isa girls, because my easter eggers lay pale pink blue or green eggs. I had one Isa that used to lay monster eggs that wouldn't come close to fitting in the cartons. I suspected that she died of egg binding. The others just hunkered down in a corner and quietly passed away. I'll have to look for a breed that lives longer but has the personality of the Isas. My easter eggers are quite aloof and a wee bit skittish.

 

[satay]

Well I have found the opposite to be true with my isa's. I have some that are 2 years old and still lay an egg a day. Started out with 19 and have only lost 1 so far.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

The more common name would be red sex-link. ISA Brown is just a specific strain from a specific company, just like Golden Comets, Hisex Browns, Cinnamon Queens, Bovan Browns, etc, would be names for red-sex links from other lines.

A couple years old is kind of old for a commercial type layer. Typically they reach a peak of about 95% production at 5 or 6 months old and slowly decline from there. There are other factors at work though that can lead to poor production. Feed, lighting, and temperature come to mind. They should be getting a good quality layer feed without too many extra inputs (scratch and other foods) that would dilute the ration. It is wintertime, so without supplemental lighting and heat, you can expect production to be down.

 

[mamabigbird]

I'm pretty well convinced that it is age related ( the lack of eggs, I mean). The coop is dry and well-lit, 14 hour timer, and warmth hasn't been an issue this winter on coastal Vancouver Island. They get a high quality layer pellet and just a tiny sprinkle of scratch each day. As well they forage on the property all day long for grass and bugs. I guess I'm just running a chicken retirement home, It's okay they're soooo cute.