The Best Hens For Eggs
Hens for Eggs
Chicken keeping has become a popular family activity. It’s part of the “back to basics” and healthy eating trend.
Most chickens will lay five eggs per week. So 4-5 laying hens will mean about two dozen eggs a week. Learn the breeds, as each have different qualities. Most good layers will not brood eggs (sit on them), so if you are interested in raising a new generation of chicks, you will need to consider that in your plans.
If you are purely interested in egg production, a rooster will not be required. Even in docile breeds, roosters are often mean, noisy, and can wreak havoc amongst a flock.
Choosing Your Chickens
The best laying breed is the White Leghorn. They usually begin laying at about 5 months of age and then lay an egg almost daily for the next three years or more. Leghorns lay large white eggs.
Red and Black Stars are not only excellent layers, but they are also very friendly and often kept as pets. Stars lay large, brown eggs (one per chicken) almost daily.
There are hundreds of chicken breeds, so before you choose, think about this:
Look for chickens that will thrive in your climate. Some are adaptable, while others will not do well in cold climates.
Be sure you have enough space – an adult hen needs at least 4 square feet of space, minimum. Close confinement leads to stress, which means fewer eggs. They need space for exercise, so more is better.
Pick a docile breed if your chickens are going to interact with children.
Small Business and Eggs
Keeping chickens for eggs can be a great family passtime or an excellent home business.
If you have the room, free ranging your hens or going completely organic can bring a high price for their eggs.
If you decide to have a rooster and fertile eggs for hatching, you can sell the fertile eggs for incubation projects for students, or sell baby chicks.
These endeavors become even more profitable if you choose hens that are rare, heritage breed, or endangered species. Many of these eggs are sold on the Internet all year round.
If you choose this venture, you will need to learn to pack these eggs safely for shipping. It’s not as difficult as you might imagine. It just takes lots of bubble wrap around each individual egg plus a snug fit in a double box. Eggs are shipped this way without problems everyday. A DIY chicken coop could be a super method to save some money.
If you will be incubating or selling the eggs for incubation, they should not be washed. Brush off loose dirt, but nothing more as washing them can remove a protective layer that resides on the outside of the shell.
It is fun to keep chickens and with a little planning, it can be profitable as well.