Laying Chickens - Raising Poultry - page 111

also come in Buff, Red, Black, Light and Dark Brown, Mille Fleur, Exchequer, Silver,
and several other less common colors. Each of these color varieties has different egg-
laying abilities. For example, Denmark was known for raising the high-producing Light
and Dark Brown Leghorns. Many high-quality specimens were sent to this country in
the '40s and '50s and many high-producing strains are available today.
Leghorns are a spunky breed. They are active foragers that enjoy a large area to roam
in search of food. The males mature at an early age and in most cases become sexually
active at 12 weeks old. These young males, or cockerels , used to be given away in feed
stores and were raised on farms as small fryers. Butchered and dressed, they produce
a 2- to 3-pound (1-1.5 kg) bird for your dinner table. The hens consistently produce a
good supply of nice-sized white eggs and have a solid two- to three-year productive life;
they continue to produce well even after their first-year molt. Egg productivity begins to
decline after year three and they are usually nonproducers, or poor at best, by years four
or five.
Other white-egg-laying types include Catalanas, Minorcas, and Andalusians. These
three particular breeds are also known for high levels of egg production and a fairly large
egg. They are larger birds than Leghorns, and offer you the option of making them your
supper if you decide to make meat birds out of your old egg producers. Unfortunately,
large strains are sometimes difficult to find and care must be exercised when purchasing
these breeds, as many hatchery-produced birds are not much larger than a Leghorn. The
finer strains of these productive breeds of birds all lay extra-large to jumbo eggs.
Catalanas are a nice buff-colored bird with black tail feathers. They are definitely
less lively than Leghorns and much easier to handle.
Minorcas come in three colors: Black, White, and Buff. Good Black Minorcas are
very large birds and produce a fine chalk-white egg. Young males and older laying hens
that have passed productivity make excellent meat birds. The White and Buff color vari-
eties generally have smaller bodies but egg size is still usually large or extra-large.
Andalusians are a breed from Spain that is most like a Minorca in size and tempera-
ment. They are a rich blue color and carry all of the blue color genetic issues that are
discussed in chapter 20 , So, You Want to Be a Breeder?.
EGGS TO SPARE
The average backyard flock tends to produce more eggs than the owner can use.
There will always be a certain season of the year when you have many more eggs
than you know what to do with. At that point, you may wish to check out the laws in
your state governing the sale of eggs to see if you can get into the business. If all else