There are several breeds of chickens that lay white eggs. Some lay extremely well, while others are very poor layers. If you have decided to keep a small flock of backyard chickens, this article may help you make a decision on which type of chicken to raise.
White Leghorn chickens are at the top of the list for laying huge quantities of large, white eggs. Their feathers are solid white in color. They are of a small body type, so are not suitable for supplying fresh meat. If you intend to keep them confined, they will probably need an enclosed area with a fence over the top, as they tend to be flighty. They are a hardy breed and do well in temperature extremes.
Brown Leghorn chickens are not as well known as the White Leghorn, but they are a good choice for white egg layers. They hens are a pretty brown color, and the roosters can be quite handsome with brown, black and red throughout their bodies. They are prolific layers of large white eggs, although they don't produce quite as well as the White Leghorn does. They are also a hardy breed.
California White is a hybrid type of white egg layer. It ranks right up there with the White Leghorn in egg production, and lays large white eggs. It grows a little faster than most. Since it is a hybrid, it will not breed true, so if you are planning on using stock to breed in the future, it wouldn't be a good choice for you. If you are only interested in egg production, I highly recommend this hardy breed.
Ancona chickens are small bodied and are good layers. Although the eggs are small, you may find them a good choice simply because of their looks. They are very pretty, with black feathers and white speckles. They are a hardy breed, but their combs may freeze during winter. They do best on free range as they are not a friendly type of fowl and don't take well to being confined.
Buff Catalanas are one of the heaviest of the white egg layers, which makes them a dual purpose breed. They can be raised for both meat and egg production. They are rather rare, but can be located on the internet as day old chicks. They are a very handsome breed, with gray legs, buff to red colored bodies, and black tails. Catalanas are also a hardy chicken.
Production Blacks lay the most eggs of all the breeds that aren't mainly white. They are very pretty with black and silver barred feathers on both the hens and the roosters. Although they were originally developed by cross-breeding, they do breed true in you plan to hatch your own chicks. They are a small breed that does well in temperature extremes.
There are many other types of white egg laying breeds of chickens, but I have only covered the top egg producers. You may want to introduce others into your flock, even though they don't produce as well. Many of the less prolific layers are quite beautiful and rare. You may decide to keep a few simply for their beauty and uniqueness.
K. Hupp enjoys cooking and gardening. Visit Windmills for Electricity to find information about building your own energy producing windmill for home use.
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