I personally stay away from hybrid chickens, since they are bred for a specific purpose, like excessive egg or meat production, at the expense of the health of the bird. Why Use Heritage Breeds for Egg Production?
Many people are newly diving into having chickens to take control of their own egg production and to manage their own costs since egg prices are skyrocketing! You want to make sure you go into it knowing which breeds will be the best egg laying chickens, otherwise, you may end up spending more on them that you expected. It’s also important to consider temperament, how well they forage, and amount of feed needed for egg production. When considering the best chickens for egg laying and production on a homestead or small farm level, the number of eggs is not the only thing that should be factored in. Now that we sell our eggs, we did a ton of research as to the best egg laying chickens (heritage breeds!), and we also have the experience of seeing these birds in action. Early on, we fell into this trap and bought some beautiful birds but they didn’t lay many eggs. When it comes to chickens, there are so many different breeds to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the choices.
