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Egg Layers
 Barred
Rock
| The Barred Rock
is one of the all time popular favorites in this country.
Developed in New England in the early 1800's by crossing Dominiques and
Black Javas, it has spread to every part of the U.S. and is an ideal
American chicken. Prolific layers of brown eggs, the hens are not
discouraged by cold weather. Their solid plumpness and yellow skin
make a beautiful heavy roasting fowl. These chickens are
sometimes called Plymouth Rocks, but this title correctly belongs to the
entire breed, not just the Barred variety. |
| Baby chicks
are dark gray to black with some white patches on their head and body. |
| Mature
Weight: 5.5-6 lbs. |
Black Sex Link
| The Sex Link
Hybrid is the result of crossing Rhode Island over a Barred Rock.
Mature females will be black with some red feathering around the neck
and breast. The males are black with white barring. Sex Links are
extremely rugged brown egg layers and weigh a little over 5 lbs. The
cockereels make good fryers. |
| Baby Chicks are
color sexed- males barred, pullets are black. |
| Mature weight: 5.5 lbs. |
Black Australorps
| This breed originated in Australia
developed from Black Orpingtons imported from England; and the emphasis
of the breeding program was on egg production without sacrificing too
much in size and meat quality. Some sensational results were made in the
Australian program, and one hen set a laying record of 364 eggs in 365
days. Introduced into this country in the 1920's, they have become
useful and popular and are certainly one of the best layers of light
brown eggs of all the heavy breeds. A flock of Black Australorps with
their glossy black plumage which has a greenish-purple sheen and their
larger than average bright red combs make an unusually handsome sight. . They have a pinkish white skin and plump bodies which
dress out nicely once the birds have their final plumage. Pullets mature
early and many will be in production between 5 and 6 months of age. They
are quiet, gentle, and stand confinement well. |
| Baby chicks are
black with a good deal of white in the underparts and small white
patches around the head and wings. |
| Mature
weight: They are big birds, cockerels weighing 6 to 8 pounds at maturity and
pullets 5 to 7 lbs |
 Buff
Orpingtons
| Buff Orpingtons
were introduced from England in the late 1800's. They are pure
gold in color, symbolic of great value and high quality.
These large, stately birds of quiet disposition are a back-yard
favorite. Easy to dress for the table, they are white skinned,
plump and juicy, a beautiful eating bird. Their heavy, full
plumage makes them excellent winter layers of brown eggs even through
cold weather. They also make excellent setters and mothers. |
| Baby chicks are a
soft light buff color. |
| Mature weight: 6.0 lbs. |
 Cornish Super Giants
Bred for the efficient production of broiler meat, you can expect to
have fresh, yellow skin-fryers in 6-7 weeks. Females fed a high-energy,
high-protein ration may be dressed at 5-6 weeks as Cornish Rock Hens.
They lay brown eggs but are only fair layers as they are bred for meat
production. These chickens do not have longevity and usually about
6 months of age will begin to drop dead of heart attacks. They
grow so big, so fast that their hearts literally explode.
|
| Mature weight: 7 lbs. |
 Golden
Comet
| These hens will
mature with feathers that are reddish brown with flecks of white
throughout. The males are all white with nice yellow skin.
At approximately 22 weeks these hardy hens will start to lay and lay
they will--even in hot and cold weather--brown eggs |
| Mature weight: 5.2 lbs. |
 New
Hampshire Red
|
This breed originated in the state of New Hampshire at the hands of
poultry farmers who started with Rhode Island Reds and by means of
generation after generation of selective breeding intensified the
characteristics of early maturity, rapid full feathering and production
of large brown eggs. The mature birds are a chestnut red
color. |
| The baby chicks
are a light red color. |
| Mature
Weight: 5.5-6.0 lbs. |
Rhode Island Red
| This is one of
the most famous and all time popular breeds of truly American
chickens. Developed in the early part of this century in the state
of the same name, they have maintained their reputation as a dual
purpose fowl through the years. Outstanding for production
qualities, they have led the contests for brown egg layers time after
time. No other heavy breed lays more or better than the Rhode
Island Reds. The mature hen is a mahogany red. |
| Baby chicks are a
rusty red color. |
| Mature weight: 5.5 lbs. |
White Leghorn
| Over 45 years of
scientific breeding research have gone into the development of this
layer through a blending of special strains of White Leghorns.
These females weigh about 4 lbs. at maturity, start laying white eggs at
4-1/2 to 5 months, and will continue 10-12 weeks longer than most good
layers. Livability and resistance to disease are very high, and the feed
to egg conversion ration is excellent, holding down the cost of egg
production. This is the chicken for commercial egg production but
not a favorite of back-yard flocks. The leghorns tend to be
flighty and not as docile as other birds. They must be fed a feed
that is not formulated for jumbo eggs. |
| The chicks are
fluffy yellow fuzz balls. |
| Mature weight: 4.5 lbs. |
|
®
Hertzler
Farm
and Feed Inc.