5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds – Treats for Chickens

5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds – Treats for Chickens

Hi Treats for Chickens community, it's me, Dawn!

 

And welcome to Dawn’s Egg Series on, well, on eggs- the best egg laying chicken breeds! 

At Treats for Chickens, we firmly believe chicken parents can never get enough chickens [and] eggs. Whether you’re selling eggs for money or happily sharing with friends and family for food, or naturally dying eggs for Easter, more is always better, am I right? Brown eggs, green eggs, blue eggs, tinted eggs, speckled eggs, and double dark brown eggs [chocolate eggs] - I love them all!

Occasionally you will find yourself at the market doing the walk-of-shame and purchasing a dozen because your ladies just aren't layin'. Reasons for poor egg performance could be:

  • Pests play a large part in the lack of laying
  • Molting reduces and often stops egg laying
  • Bullying and picking cause a girl to get all upset and reduce laying
  • Lack of essential nutrients causes rubbery, brittle, or no eggs at all
  • Retirement age is something we all look forward to, right?

Chicken keepers raising chickens for eggs need to know what breeds of chickens are the best egg laying chicken breeds to maximize egg production. Treats For Chickens’ Dawn even put together a little math equation to help explain how this works.

C + E x Y = MH

C = Chicken Keepers

E = Egg Production

Y = Best Egg Laying Chicken Breeds

MH = More Happiness for Chicken Keepers

So, here's the situation, chicken parents: it's time to learn which breeds of chickens are the best egg laying chicken breeds for regular brown eggs.

Waddle roll please, Treats For Chickens Top 5 Best Brown Egg Layers…

 

 

1. AUSTRALORP CHICKEN BREED
Backyard Chicken with green grass backyard Black Australorp Chicken Breed staring Top 5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds Brown Eggs Chocolate Eggs
Photo Credit: eFowl

 

The Australorp breed of chicken is a cross between a Rhode Island Red chicken and an Orpington chicken. They were developed in Australia in the 1920s for the purpose of developing one of the best egg laying chickens that are well suited to the Australian climate. But we love them here in the states just plenty!!

Australorp Chicken Eggs Production: Australorp chickens lay beautiful light brown eggs. These egg laying champions hold the world egg laying record with one hen from this breed laying 364 eggs in 365 days (holy moley)! You can expect between 250-300 large eggs each year from your typical Australorp chicken. 

Australorp Chicken Behavior: Australorps are as calm and gentle as chicken breeds come. Most hens from this breed will be docile, relaxed, and quite tame chickens. I have personally had two in my chicken keeping days: one was broody every other day but would snack on treats from my hand on any day and the other gal was a champion layer with a big attitude.

 

 

2. LOHMANN BROWN CHICKEN BREED
Backyard Chicken with green grass backyard Lohmann Brown Chicken Breed staring Top 5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds Brown Eggs Chocolate Eggs
Photo Credit: Backyard Chickens

  

Lohmann Brown chickens are one of the best hybrid chickens for egg laying. They were developed by a German genetics company from the selective breeding of New Hampshire chickens with other brown egg laying hens. And while this description may seem a little freaky this particular breed has worked wonders for farmers in South Africa. It's a shame they are not available in the United States but we have some ladies here in the states that run a close second.

Lohmann Brown Chicken Eggs Production: Lohmann Brown chickens lay brown eggs. These chickens begin laying jumbo sized eggs after 4-5 months from hatching. You can expect around 300 eggs a year from your Lohmann brown chicken.

Lohmann Brown Chicken Behavior: Lohmann Brown chickens are very docile and friendly. There is a reason Lohmann Brown chickens are the most widespread egg laying chickens on planet earth. Not only do they lay an incredible amount of eggs, but their friendly and even-temperament make them good to have around children and other chickens!      

 

 

3. GOLDEN COMET CHICKEN BREED
Backyard Chicken with green grass backyard Golden Comet Chicken Breed staring Top 5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds Brown Eggs Chocolate Eggs

 

There’s no way you’ve not seen a Golden Comet Chicken running around somewhere, at least once in your life. Golden Comet chickens are a widespread hybrid chicken, bred by mating a White Rock hen and a New Hampshire rooster.

Golden Comet Chicken Eggs Production: The Golden Comet Chicken breed starts laying eggs as early as 16 weeks. The math on that is 4 months and that is early! You can expect between 250-300 brown colored eggs from your golden comet chicken annually.

Golden Comet Chicken Behavior: You’ve got yourself a curious and friendly bird if you have a Golden Comet chicken in your flock. They don’t mind being picked up by new people and they are rarely if ever involved in any scuffles or arguments with other chickens. Pretty laid back and a few chicken parents could learn a thing or two from this happy little hen.

 

 

4. SUSSEX CHICKEN BREED
Backyard Chickens with green grass backyard sitting on a fence Sussex Chicken Breed staring Top 5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds Brown Eggs Chocolate Eggs
Photo Credit: Backyard Poultry

 

Sussex Chickens are a breed of chicken that’s raised for egg laying and meat [dual purpose breed] -although Treats For Chickens sees them as pets. The Sussex chicken is a British chicken breed and comes in eight different colors. The most common color of Sussex chickens is white with a black neck and black tail feathers. My other favorite of this breed is Fern Meadow which has a marvelous spotted feather pattern and who resides with @Tarahharlin.

Sussex Chicken Eggs Production: Sussex chickens lay brown, white, or tinted eggs and you can expect between 180-200 eggs per year from your typical Sussex chicken. However, some strains of this dual-purpose chicken breed are better at egg laying than others, and can give you up to 250 eggs per year! Way to go ladies!

Sussex Chicken Behavior: This chicken breed is a good addition to any mixed flock!  But please keep in mind that all chickens have their own personality and you can get the occasional snooty little hen that's not the most even-tempered gal.

 

 

5. RHODE ISLAND RED CHICKEN BREED
Backyard Chicken with green grass backyard Rhoda Island Red Chicken Breed staring Top 5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds Brown Eggs Chocolate Eggs
Photo Credit: Cackle Hatchery

 

Finally, a good ol’ American made gal! The Rhode Island Red Chicken breed was developed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island from the breeding of oriental chickens like the Malay chicken with Brown Leghorn chickens from Italy! This chicken breed also makes for a good dual purpose bird that lays an abundance of eggs.

Rhode Island Red Chicken Eggs Production: Rhode Island Red chickens lay light brown, medium to large eggs. The Rhode Island Red chicken breed starts laying eggs around 4-5 months, which is super earlier than other breeds. You can expect 150-250 eggs a year from your Rhode Island Red chicken.

Rhode Island Red Chicken Behavior: The Rhode Island Red chicken breed is the opposite of docile! These are some spirited girls! The hens are loud and high energy. The roosters of this breed of chickens can be a little more hyper and active too.

Okay, there you have it, chicken keepers. 5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds - well four since Lohmanns are based in Africa but these feathered friends nonetheless made the list of the Top 5 Best. Let me know fellow Treats for Chickens parents, what other best brown egg layers should go on the list.

 

-Dawn, Treats For Chickens 🧡

 

treats for chickens
Can we kelp you? For more information about your domestic fowls and their eggs, visit Treats For Chickens blog, cluck HERE and HERE.

Hungry for more egg improvement? Of course you do, because your flock deserves eggs (cellent) treat (ment). For fabulous eggs year around, Treats for Chickens recommends certified organic supplement: Cluck'n Sea Kelp.
Square vibrant green banner showing text about Treats For Chickens Cluck'n Sea Kelp meal supplement. On the left, shows a variety of chicken breeds hovering about the fall leaves landscape and Cluck'n Sea Kelp meal supplement package. Chicken Breed Top 5 Best Brown Egg Laying Chicken Breeds Brown Eggs Chocolate Eggs

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Let's keep your layers happy regardless of what color eggs your chicken lays.

 

And thank you to eFowl, Backyard Chickens, The Happen Chicken Coop, Backyard PoultryCackle Hatchery, and Meyer Hatchery for dispensing the information and wonderful pictures!



Got something to cluck about? Have other suggestions? Questions?
Help fellow chicken parents and leave a comment below!
 

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18 comments
  • I love my girls I have Rhode Island Reds Comets and Ausolopes they are all so friendly I also have two Turkey’s a Tom and a hen

    Flo Molina on
  • How can I get Australor or Rhode island hens chicks in bihar India..

    Javed on
  • Raising and taking care of chickens is not an easy task, but for me raising chickens is a very happy job to see that chickens are always healthy and give lots of eggs.
    thuoc ga da

    thuoc ga vip on
  • I love my chickens and I found that the more you love them and give them little treats every other day make for some very happy chickens. Out of 14 chickens mix of various types I get an average of 12 eggs per day. In the winter months I still average 8 eggs per day.

    Liz on
  • My favorite brown egg layers are the black copper Marans.

    Paula on

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