Are you thinking about raising chickens for those delicious, farm-fresh eggs? Let me tell you there’s nothing quite like walking out to your coop and collecting eggs that were laid just hours ago! But if you’re gonna invest time and money into this rewarding hobby you’ll want chickens that can really deliver on the egg front.
After years of raising my own flock and countless conversations with fellow chicken enthusiasts I’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you choose the best egg laying chickens for your situation.
What Makes a Good Egg Laying Chicken?
Before diving into specific breeds, let’s talk about what actually makes a chicken good at laying eggs:
- Genetics: Some breeds have been specifically developed for egg production
- Age: Hens typically start laying at 5-6 months and peak in their first year
- Health: Well-cared for chickens produce more eggs
- Environment: Proper lighting (12-16 hours daily), comfortable nesting boxes, and low stress levels
- Diet: Quality nutrition with sufficient protein and calcium
Now let’s explore the top egg laying chicken breeds that’ll keep your egg basket full!
Top 15 Egg Laying Chicken Breeds
1. ISA Brown
Annual Egg Production: 300-350 eggs
Egg Color: Light brown
Egg Size: Large
ISA Browns are hybrid chickens developed by the Institut de Sélection Animale in France. These reddish-orange beauties are absolute egg-laying machines! They typically start laying around 22 weeks of age and continue consistently for about 4 years.
My friend James has a small flock of ISA Browns, and he’s amazed at their reliability – almost an egg a day from each hen! They’re also known for their friendly temperaments, making them great for beginners.
2. White Leghorn
Annual Egg Production: 280-320 eggs
Egg Color: White
Egg Size: Large
Originating from Italy, White Leghorns are commercial favorites for a reason. These chickens lay an impressive 4-6 eggs per week with minimal feed consumption, making them super efficient layers.
They start laying around 18 weeks old and are known to be productive well into their third or fourth year. I’ve found Leghorns to be a bit more flighty than some other breeds, but their egg production more than makes up for it!
3. Rhode Island Red
Annual Egg Production: 250-300 eggs
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Medium to large
Rhode Island Reds were my first chickens, and they’ll always have a special place in my heart. These dual-purpose birds are hardy, adaptable, and perfect for beginners. They start laying around 18 weeks old and can produce up to 300 eggs annually.
These reddish-brown chickens are also fairly docile and can handle various climate conditions, making them a solid choice for nearly any backyard setup.
4. Plymouth Barred Rock
Annual Egg Production: 200-230 eggs
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Large
Plymouth Barred Rocks (often just called “Barred Rocks”) are those classic black-and-white striped chickens that make great family pets. They’re well-rounded birds that handle both heat and cold well, while being docile and easy to handle.
My chicken named Happy is a Barred Rock, and she’s the reason I fell in love with backyard chickens. She welcomes me to the coop and is still laying like a champ at 2½ years old. Barred Rocks typically lay around 200-250 brown eggs annually.
5. Australorp
Annual Egg Production: 200-260 eggs
Egg Color: Light brown
Egg Size: Medium
Australorps are beautiful black chickens with a gentle temperament. They start laying a bit later than other breeds (around 6-7 months), but they make up for it with consistent production of about 4-5 eggs weekly.
An Australorp actually holds the world record for egg production – 364 eggs in 365 days! While your backyard hens might not reach that level, they’re still excellent producers.
6. Golden Comet
Annual Egg Production: 250-300 eggs
Egg Color: Light brown
Egg Size: Medium to large
Golden Comets are hybrid chickens created by crossing White Rock and Rhode Island Red chickens. These golden-red birds start laying early (around 16 weeks) and can produce 250-300 eggs yearly.
I’ve found them to be relatively quiet and adaptable to various environments. They don’t require a ton of space, making them perfect for suburban setups.
7. Sussex
Annual Egg Production: 240-280 eggs
Egg Color: Cream/light brown
Egg Size: Large
Sussex chickens come in several color varieties (white, brown, red, buff, and silver) and are excellent dual-purpose birds. They lay around 240-280 large eggs annually and have friendly, easygoing personalities.
Sussex chickens are hardy and adaptable to most environments, making them ideal for beginners. They’re also good foragers who can help keep your yard free of pests and weeds.
8. Easter Egger
Annual Egg Production: 200-280 eggs
Egg Color: Green, blue, olive, pink, tan, or cream
Egg Size: Medium
Easter Eggers are actually hybrid chickens (not a recognized breed) known for their colorful eggs. Each hen lays one consistent color, but in a flock, you’ll get a rainbow of colors in your egg basket!
We have several Easter Eggers in our flock, and collecting their colorful eggs feels like an Easter egg hunt every day! They’re friendly, hardy birds that lay about 200-280 eggs yearly.
9. Sapphire Gem
Annual Egg Production: 280-300 eggs
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Large
Sapphire Gems (also known as Blue Plymouth Rocks) are hybrid chickens with gorgeous blue-gray feathering. They start laying at 4-6 months old and produce around 5 eggs weekly, totaling 280-300 eggs annually.
These docile birds are cost-effective to keep and make excellent pets for families, including those with children interested in raising backyard livestock.
10. Olive Egger
Annual Egg Production: 200 eggs
Egg Color: Olive green
Egg Size: Medium
Olive Eggers are hybrid chickens bred specifically to lay those beautiful olive green eggs. They can produce up to 200 eggs per year and have a range of feather colors depending on their parentage.
My Olive Egger, Opal, is not only a consistent layer but also very friendly. She went broody once but wasn’t difficult to break of the habit. The olive green eggs make a stunning addition to any egg basket!
11. Marans
Annual Egg Production: 150-200 eggs
Egg Color: Dark chocolate brown
Egg Size: Large
Marans originate from France and are known for their incredibly dark brown eggs – some of the darkest egg shells you’ll find! They lay approximately 225 dark brown eggs per year and are generally docile birds.
I have a French Black-Copper Marans named Big Betsy who lays gorgeous dark eggs. She’s winter-hardy and very calm around people. While they don’t lay quite as many eggs as some other breeds, the unique color makes them special.
12. Wyandotte
Annual Egg Production: 200-250 eggs
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Large
Wyandottes are gorgeous birds with laced feather patterns that make them stand out in any flock. They lay around 200-250 large brown eggs yearly and handle cold weather exceptionally well.
These birds show strong maternal instincts and tend to go broody, which is great if you want to hatch chicks naturally but can interrupt egg production temporarily.
13. Orpington
Annual Egg Production: 150-200 eggs
Egg Color: Light brown
Egg Size: Large
Orpingtons (particularly Buff Orpingtons) are among the friendliest chicken breeds you’ll find. These fluffy birds lay 150-200 large brown eggs annually and start producing at 5-7 months old.
Their docile nature makes them perfect family pets, though they’re not the most heat-tolerant birds, so they’re better suited for cooler climates. They prefer free-range conditions where they can explore.
14. Calico Princess
Annual Egg Production: 290 eggs
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Medium to large
The Calico Princess breed was a surprise favorite for me. My two Calico Princesses, Myrtle and Millie, are fun-loving birds with big personalities. Their deep red feathers with light flecks add beautiful color to the flock.
These laying machines produce around 290 brown eggs annually and handle both summer heat and cold Minnesota winters well. They’re friendly to both people and other chickens.
15. Lohmann Brown
Annual Egg Production: 290-320 eggs
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Large
Lohmann Browns are hybrid chickens developed from Rhode Island and White Rock breeds. They start laying early (around 19 weeks) and can produce 290-320 eggs yearly.
Their eggs are known for high fertility and hatchability, making them good choices if you’re interested in breeding. Their impressive egg-laying capability typically lasts up to 72 weeks of age.
Tips for Maximizing Egg Production
Having the right breed is important, but proper care makes a huge difference in how many eggs your chickens will lay. Here are some tips I’ve learned over the years:
- Provide comfortable nesting boxes – One box for every 3-4 hens, keep them clean and cozy
- Ensure proper nutrition – Layer feed with 16-18% protein and calcium supplements
- Maintain adequate lighting – 14-16 hours daily (may need supplemental light in winter)
- Keep stress levels low – Protect from predators and avoid frequent coop changes
- Fresh water always – Eggs are mostly water, so hydration is crucial
- Regular health checks – Healthy chickens lay more eggs
Hybrid vs. Heritage Breeds: Which is Better?
When choosing egg layers, you’ll face the choice between hybrid and heritage breeds:
Hybrid Chickens (like ISA Browns and Golden Comets):
- Higher egg production
- Consistent egg size and quality
- Earlier maturation
- Shorter productive lifespan
Heritage Chickens (like Rhode Island Reds and Wyandottes):
- Better genetic diversity
- Longer overall productive life
- Often more cold-hardy and disease-resistant
- Better natural behaviors (foraging, brooding)
I personally keep a mix of both types in my flock. The hybrids provide plenty of eggs, while the heritage breeds add beauty, diversity, and better mothering instincts when I want to hatch chicks.
Final Thoughts
The “best” egg laying chicken really depends on your specific needs and situation. Consider these factors:
- Climate and environment
- Space availability
- Whether you want colorful eggs
- If personality and pet qualities matter
- If you plan to hatch chicks naturally
My recommendation for absolute beginners would be Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Barred Rocks, or Sussex chickens. They’re hardy, friendly, and excellent layers without being too specialized or demanding.
Remember that no matter which breed you choose, proper care and management will have the biggest impact on egg production. And don’t forget – chickens aren’t just egg-laying machines, they’re also delightful pets with unique personalities!
What chicken breeds have you had success with? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!
Rhode Island Red
A gentle breed that produces large brown eggs, the Rhode Island Red (named for the state, which was influential to the breeds development) is one of the United States biggest contributions to chicken keeping. Its a popular breed for a good reason—these are attractive birds that are terrific layers. Like the Leghorn, youll find industrial and heritage varieties of the breed, with the industrial birds more effective as egg producers and the heritage breed more of a dual-purpose breed.2 (“Dual-purpose” means the breed can be utilized for both meat and egg production).
Back when it was very common for the average family to raise chickens, the large Plymouth Rock breed was among the most popular in the United States. It was popular because this dual-purpose bird is easy to care for and gentle to work with. Add in the fact that Plymouth Rock hens will produce about four eggs a week (200 per year), and you have a winning combination.
In addition to their status as a top egg-layer (one record-setting hen once laid an astonishing 364 eggs in a single year!), Australorps feature black and green, iridescent feathers and produce brown eggs.3 Its no surprise that this Australian breed has a large fan base.
Red Star chickens (also known as Red Sex-Links because the sex of the chicks can be easily determined after hatching) are a hybrid variety of chicken, created by crossing two specific breeds. Theyre fantastic egg producers, capable of laying 300 eggs a year.
The Orpington is quick to mature, friendly, easy to raise, and produces over 200 eggs a year. Whats not to like about them? Developed in Britain, the Orpington is most well-known for the buff coloring, although they do come in other, less common colors. The Orpington is also popular as a show chicken.4
Spanish (White-Faced Black Spanish)
Chickens arent native to North America; theyre domesticated fowl from Asia. The Spanish chicken was one of the first to be imported to the U.S., where it appeared in poultry shows as far back as the 1850s. In addition to its reputation as a good egg layer, the combination of its black body and white face makes this a strikingly beautiful bird.
The Sussex chicken is another British breed. The Sussex can do it all—its a meat bird, an egg layer, and a fun bird for poultry shows. Its a rare breed and not necessarily for beginners, but in some cases, Sussex hens can produce 250 eggs every year.
The Chantecler was developed in Canada in the early 1900s with the specific purpose of creating a hardy breed that would perform well in the countrys northern climate5. It is a docile chicken that is a good layer. The Chantecler possesses small combs and wattles, which make it well suited to colder climates.
The Brahma is a large but gentle breed, weighing about 10 pounds or more. Brahmas are good egg layers, and a little unique in their ability to continue laying eggs regularly even in the winter months when many other breeds either stop laying or lay at a reduced rate.
With so many amazing breeds to choose from, getting started with chickens is definitely an egg-citing endeavor! Enjoy those eggs!
- Hotaling, Ana. Hobby Farms. “Poultry Profiles: Get to Know the Leghorn Chicken Breed.” https://www.hobbyfarms.com/leghorn-chicken-breed-facts/
- The Happy Chicken Coop. “Rhode Island Red: What to Know Before Buying One.” https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/rhode-island-red/
- Oklahoma State University. “Poultry Breeds – Australorp Chickens.” http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/poultry/chickens/australorp
- Arcuri, Lauren. The Spruce. “Orpington (Buff Orpington).” https://www.thespruce.com/chicken-breeds-orpington-or-buff-orpington-3016551
- The Livestock Conservancy. “Chantecler Chicken.”http://www.livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/chantecler
Raising Chickens: Everything You Need To Know!
FAQ
What is the best type of chicken for laying eggs?
For high egg production, White Leghorns are a top choice, consistently laying 280-320 large to jumbo eggs per year. Rhode Island Reds are also excellent, laying 250-300 medium to large eggs annually.
What chicken lays 350 eggs a year?
The ISA Brown chicken breed is known for laying the most eggs, with some individuals reaching 350 eggs per year. These hybrid chickens are popular for backyard farming due to their high egg production and docile nature.
What breed of chicken gives the most eggs?
The chicken breeds known for laying the most eggs include ISA Browns, Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, and Red Stars. ISA Browns are hybrids and can lay 300-320 eggs per year. Leghorns, another breed, can lay 280-320 eggs annually. Rhode Island Reds lay around 250-300 eggs per year. Australorps are also prolific layers, with some hens laying over 364 eggs in a year.
Is it cheaper to raise chickens or buy eggs?