Wondering about Leg horns and Rhode Island Reds

[Lady Ressler]

So I bought some chickens for eggs for our family and even for selling some eggs. My customer base has increased beyond what I will be producing and I wanted to add about five more. Right now I have all brown egg layers which is fine. I am wondering which breed would be more prolific but cold hardy at the same time. I can do the light thing if I have to in the winter but I need some girls that will lay some eggs instead of buying more chickens that aren't as good at laying.

Which ones? White Leg Horn or Rhode Island Red? Or if there is another breed to think about.

Right now I have, Barred Rocks, Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Silver Laced Wyandottes, & a Black Star

 

[featherz]

Others will disagree on the leghorns, but I have a coop of leghorns and RIR and the leghorns laid all winter, even when it was minus double digits. And they did fine in upstate NY with no heat. the RIR's are less prolific, or at least mine are - but they may not burn out as fast as the leghorns.

And my leghorns are very friendly. Just lost one today to a fox and still sad.

 

[Lady Ressler]

Thank you very much for the reply. I am leaning towards the leg horns and your opinion helps.

I am so sorry to hear about you unwelcome thief. My condolences.

 

[featherz]

Thank you very much for the reply. I am leaning towards the leg horns and your opinion helps.

I am so sorry to hear about you unwelcome thief. My condolences.

=(

Most peeps on this site seem to dislike leghorns and think them flighty and loud. Mine are sweet foodhounds and aren't any louder than a usual chicken. I was a little concerned at -26F, but other than minor frostbite they did fine. No lights in the coop and they laid me three pretty white eggs all winter. I'd like to get more except for the burnout factor. =(

 

[Lady Ressler]

How fast do they burn out? The other problem that I am having is where to get them. No one around here breeds them and I don't want to get the minimum 25 chicks needed when ordering from a hatchery.

What to do?

 

[Bullitt]

Rhode Island Reds are known for being good winter layers, and they are also known for continuing to lay eggs even with marginal housing and feed. In other words, Rhode Island Reds are hardy chickens. They will lay about 5 eggs a week on average in a year.

I know it gets very cold in North Dakota, so that may be pushing it for Leghorns. They would probably be fine if they had a good coop to stay in. White Leghorns will lay about 6 eggs a week on average in a year.

You might also think about the Rose Comb Brown Leghorn. The most vulnerable part of a chicken is the comb, but a rose comb is less likely to get frost bite. It may be difficult to find this breed, though. But Brown Leghorns lay almost as well as the whites.

You might check Craigslist to find some chickens for sale. Cackle Hatchery (www.cacklehatchery.com) in Missouri will ship 15 chicks in a regular order. I checked, and 10 Rhode Island Red pullets and 5 White Leghorn pullets would be about $56 with shipping. After the chicks arrive, pick out a few of each and sell the rest.

You might try getting both Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns just to see how they do. I think your chickens could also use more body warmth during the North Dakota winters.

 

[Lady Ressler]

Very good idea. I like the idea of selling the extras. I never even thought of that. Silly because that is what I have been doing, diligently searching craigslist to see if anyone has any. Thank you VERY much.

 

[Bridget-Louisiana]

So I bought some chickens for eggs for our family and even for selling some eggs. My customer base has increased beyond what I will be producing and I wanted to add about five more. Right now I have all brown egg layers which is fine. I am wondering which breed would be more prolific but cold hardy at the same time. I can do the light thing if I have to in the winter but I need some girls that will lay some eggs instead of buying more chickens that aren't as good at laying.

Which ones? White Leg Horn or Rhode Island Red? Or if there is another breed to think about.

Right now I have, Barred Rocks, Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Silver Laced Wyandottes, & a Black Star

I have RIR hens and one roo, Elvis. Love them, but they are 10 months old and STILL laying SMALL EGGS. If you are looking for HIGH PRODUCTION, White Legnorn is what you want. On another note, I read crossing a WL roo to a RIR hen produced an even higher egg production with an off-white egg color. Another "high-egg production" cross was the Black Australorp hen x White Leghorn roo. I'm no expert, just read a lot of online articles.

 

[3riverschick]

A breed with a rosecomb so it doesn't get frostbitten
How about Rosecomb Rhode Island Whites? Lay brown eggs, very prolific winter layers. 1/3 of their foundation heritage is leghorn. There is a Facebook group for them. Cmom on byc breeds lovely ones in FL, as do Ryon Carey and another gentleman out closer to you. This breed urgently needs folk to champion it.
Best,
Karen and the Light Sussex in Western Pennsylvania