Egg Laying Chickens

Egg Laying Chickens Blog

Backyard chickens are growing in popularity in Australia. So many people are loving all the benefits having pet chickens provides for your family.

Caring for chickens is rewarding and entertaining. If you have a family with children, raising hens is a great way to teach your kids responsibility and about nature.

Many people also like to keep pet chickens because they love to have a steady supply of fresh eggs at home. Chicken eggs are healthy and delicious, making them the most consumed type of egg worldwide.

Eggs that come from free range, well cared for chickens are proven to be more nutritious. They are lower in cholesterol and saturated fat. They are also higher in Vitamin A, D and E, Omega 3, and Beta Carotene.

They also taste better! These benefits stem from your hens being fed a more nutritious and diverse diet.

Whether you already own pet chickens or are considering getting some, you may have some questions about their eggs. This page will answer, in depth, your most popular questions about egg laying chickens.

Do you have a question we haven’t answered? Send us a message and let us know!

Table of Contents

Best 10 Egg Laying Chickens Breeds

Some chicken breeds will naturally lay more eggs than other breeds.

Strong egg laying breeds will lay one egg every day or two, resulting in hundreds of eggs per year. However, other breeds will lay very few or none at all.

Best Chickens For Fresh Eggs

If you are choosing to raise chickens partly because you want a regular supply of fresh eggs, then breed is something you will need to consider.

Ameraucana

Ameraucana hens typically lay 250 eggs per year. They begin laying at around 25-30 weeks old.

Australorp

Australorp hens can lay up to 300 eggs per year. They begin laying at around 22-24 weeks old.

Golden Laced Wyandottes

Golden Laced Wyandottes lay approximately 200 eggs each year. They will begin to lay at 18-20 weeks old.

Isa Brown

Isa Brown chickens will lay between 300-350 eggs every year. They begin to lay eggs at around 16 weeks old.

Leghorn

Leghorn hens will lay about 280 eggs per year. They begin laying at around 16 weeks old.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire chickens will lay approximately 250 eggs per year. They first lay eggs at 22-24 weeks old.

Orpington

Orpington chickens will lay around 150 eggs per year. They start to lay eggs at 20-24 weeks old.

Plymouth Rocks

Plymouth Rock hens lay around 280 eggs each year. They start to lay at between 18-22 weeks old.

Rhode Island Reds

Rhode Island Red hens will lay 270 eggs per year. They begin to lay at between 18-24 weeks old.

Sussex

The Sussex chicken will lay over 250 eggs each year. They begin to first lay eggs at 16-20 weeks old.

 

What is the Best Feed for Chickens to Lay Eggs?

A healthy hen that is fed the right nutrients will lay more eggs. It is important to give your girls high quality, organic food in a nice clean chicken feeder.

Check the ingredients and amounts of nutrients within your chicken’s daily layer feed, mash and pellets.

Hens need protein to lay eggs. Most chickens require approximately 20g of protein per day.

Automatic Chicken Feeder by Somerzby

View the Somerzby Automatic Chicken Feeder

Beyond getting protein from their daily food, you can also give your girls high-protein treats.

These include meal worms, pumpkin seeds, chia, hemp seeds, lentils and spirulina. Be sure not to give your hens treats too often though as it can be unhealthy (just like it is with us!).

Whilst it is a less common problem, feeding your chickens excess protein can sometimes also prevent laying. You will need to find a healthy balance.

Egg laying chickens should also be consuming higher levels of calcium. Calcium is essentially in creating strong egg shells. If your daily feed is not high in calcium, supplements can be used.

5 Best Chickens to Raise for Eggs and Meat

Chickens that are raised for both their eggs and their meat are referred to as dual-purpose chickens.

Many people raising dual-purpose hens will keep them for eggs until they can’t lay anymore and then will use them for meat.

Some chicken breeds are better suited for this purpose. This is because they naturally lay a large number of eggs per year. They are also heavy and have tasty meat.

Australorp Chickens are an extremely popular breed of chicken for both Meat and Eggs

Australorp

Australorps are a very popular chicken breed in Australia. They make great pets as they are easy to approach and happy to be around people.

Brahma

Despite their large size, Brahmas are a gentle and quiet chicken breed.

Jersey Giant

Jersey Giants are a rare breed. They are very calm and make great pets. Due to their large size, they require a larger coop with more room to roam around during the day.

Orpington

The most popular Orpingtons are Buff and Black Orpingtons. They make great family pets and get along well with children.

Wyandotte

Wyandottes are a great breed for beginners. They are happy to be around humans and love to forage in the yard. They can sometimes be noisy.

 Chickens that Lay Blue Eggs

Some chicken breeds lay blue eggs. These are prized for their novelty factor. Some people claim blue eggs taste different.

The nutritional content of blue eggs is no higher or lower than other eggs of different colours.

Chickens that Lay Blue Eggs

Araucana

The Araucana lays around 250 blue eggs per year. The shells are blue on the inside as well, not only on the outside.

Cream Legbar

Cream Legbars lay 200 blue eggs per year. There are other colour varieties of Legbar however only the Cream Legbar will lay blue eggs.

Which Chickens Lay Brown Eggs?

The colour eggs a hen lays is determined by her breed.

Sometimes diet and the amount of sunlight she gets can affect how bold the colour is.

All eggs are the same on the inside, however they have different coloured shells which can make them more exciting.

Brown eggs are the most common coloured egg. Chickens with red ear lobes are most likely to lay brown eggs.

Chickens with Red Ears most likely lay brown eggs

Light Brown Eggs

Chickens that lay light brown (or tan) eggs include:

  • Buff Orpington
  • New Hampshire Red
  • Plymouth Rock
  • Rhode Island Red
  • Wyandotte

Pink Eggs

Some chicken eggs appear slightly pink but they are actually a very light brown. They can appear pink because of a natural coating hens produce while the egg is being laid.

Java Chicken Breed

They can also appear pink depending on the light in the room. Chickens that lay ‘pink’ eggs include:

  • Australorp
  • Java
  • Orpington
  • Silkie
  • Sussex

 Dark Brown Eggs

Chickens can also lay very dark brown eggs. These are less common and therefore seen as desirable. Breeds that lay dark brown eggs are:

  • Barnevelders
  • Empordanesas
  • Marans
  • Penedesencas
  • Welsummer

Which Chickens Lay White Eggs?

Many chickens lay white eggs. Whilst it is less than brown eggs, it is still quite common. Chickens with white feathers and white earlobes are most likely to lay white eggs.

White Hanburg Chicken Breed for White Eggs

Breeds that lay white eggs include:

  • Ancona
  • Andalusian
  • Crevecours
  • Egyptian Fayoumis
  • Hamburg
  • Lakenvelder
  • Leghorn
  • Minorca
  • Polish
  • White Siciliana

What Colour Eggs Do Black Chickens Lay?

Many different chicken breeds can have black feathers. Some breeds even have black skin, bones and meat!

Black chickens do not lay black eggs. In fact, no chickens lay black eggs.

The colour of an egg is determined by the individual hen’s breed, not by the colour of her feathers. Therefore, different breeds of black chicken will lay different coloured eggs. Some examples are:

  • Anconas lay white eggs.
  • Australorps lay brown eggs.
  • Ayam Cemanis are the blackest chicken breed, as they are completely black inside and out. They lay cream coloured eggs.
  • Jersey Giants lay light brown eggs.
  • Orpingtons lay brown eggs.
  • Silkies lay cream coloured eggs.
  • Sumatras lay white eggs.
  • White-Crested Black Polish hens lay white eggs.
  • Wyandottes lay brown eggs.

More info on chicken breeds and egg laying chickens.

The Best 10 Egg Laying Chicken Breeds

Ultimate List of Black Chicken Breeds

Chickens That Lay Blue Eggs