I’m still reading about chickens… the laying kind. Egg colors and which bird lays the most eggs. From what I understand, the Rhode Island Red is a top producer of brown eggs (along with the Golden Comet) — and White Leghorns are the best producer of white eggs.
How many top producers would I need?
The top egg producing hens lay around 250 eggs per year. They don’t start laying until they’re about 6 months old, their lifespan is 6-8 years, and their peak production only lasts for a few years. After that, they go into the stew pot (could I DO that??) or simply left to enjoy retirement eating ticks and fleas.
On average, we consume 3-4 dozen eggs per week. That means just for my household, I need 10 hens laying at peak production (and a rooster) at all times. That also means within 4-5 years I’d have a bunch of old girls pecking around that are past their prime. That and I’d have a bajillion pounds of free fertilizer being produced instead of eggs.
At this very instant, I’m thinking I’d better just pass on being a chicken farmer.
Tomorrow, especially if there’s snow, I’m going to think about other hobbies. Matter of fact, I’ve already been provided a list of the 20 most relaxing hobbies by Country Living. I’ll share options and thoughts right here tomorrow but in the meantime, let me be transparent and let you know what you’re reading right here covers 2 of the 20 — blogging and photography. 🙂
