More info: Keeping chickens to produce eggs means choosing the best breeds that will lay the most.
Rhode Island Reds are easy to care for and will produce around 260 eggs per year. They are very good free range birds as well as penned chickens as long as they are moved around for ample forage. Rhode Island Reds can be a bit bossy with smaller hens.
White leghorns are a hardy breed and will lay around 280 eggs per year. Although they make a better penned or coup bird they will also do well free range when the temperatures are warm and forage is good.
The golden comet is one of the best cold hardy free range birds and they will produce 250 to 300 brown coloured eggs per year. They tolerate other hens well, make great pets but are not particularly broody.
One of the most friendly egg laying chickens is the Barred Plymouth Rock with its easily recognisable black and white barred plumage. They make great free range chickens and are fairly prolific egg layers and integrate well with other birds.
Some of the most fun chickens to have are the Ameraucana, also known as the “Easter Egg Chicken” These birds lay multicoloured eggs which are as delicious as they are colourful and they do well either penned or couped. They will lay around 250 eggs per year.
Buff Orpingtons are beautiful birds that make great pets. They lay around 150 eggs per year. They do not fly well so if free range, predators can be an issue.