What are the common laying hens?

Layer refers to chickens raised specially to lay eggs to supply eggs. Eggs are the main source of income for raising layer chickens. Different from meat chickens, the main topic of raising layer chickens is to improve egg quality and maintain or improve egg production, rather than improve chicken quality. Let's take a look at what common layer breeds are!

white Leghorn

[Origin] White Leghorn chicken originated in Italy, first exported in 1835 and named, has been spread all over the world, is the longest history, the widest distribution, the highest yield and genetic stability of the standard breed of laying hens in the world breed, but also modern laying hen breeding, the most used breeding material.

[Appearance] White Leghorn chicken is characterized by self-colored feathers, pure eggshell color, mostly single crown, thick and upright crown of cock, thin and inverted crown of hen, yellow skin, taste and shin.

[Performance] White Leghorn chickens are lively and active, easy to startle, non-brood, high egg production, high-yield chickens can reach about 300 eggs per year, adult drooping cocks 2.7 kg, hens 2.0 kg, average egg weight 54~60 g.

Luo Island Red Chicken

[Origin] Luo Island Red Chicken is native to the eastern coast of the United States.

[Appearance] Luo Island Red Chicken has a rectangular sandy body, strong body, single crown or rose crown, red and oval leaves, yellow beak, shin, toe and skin, black main wing feathers and tail feathers, reddish brown feathers all over the body, and no hair on the shin.

[Performance] The average weight of adult cock of Luo Island Red Chicken is 3.8 kg, and that of hen is 3 kg. The laying age of hen is 180~210 days, and the annual egg production is 160~170. The egg weight is 60 grams. The eggshell is brown and has brooding sex. Now it is mostly used as the male parent variety for producing commercial hybrid laying hens.

New Han Summer Chicken

[Origin] New Han Summer Chicken was bred in New Han State, USA. It was bred for more than 30 years after selecting chickens with good physique, many eggs, heavy eggs and good meat quality from Luo Island Red Chicken.

[Appearance] New Han Summer Chicken's physical appearance is similar to Luo Island Red, with a short back, light feathers, single crown and brown eggshells.

[Performance] New Han Summer Chicken produces 180~200 eggs per year, with an average egg weight of 60 grams.

Australian Black Chicken

[Origin] Australian black chicken originated in Australia, is the use of black Oppington chicken, pay attention to egg production performance breeding.

[Appearance] Australian black chicken body is deep and wide, chest plump, head medium large, beak, eyes, shin are black, soles are white, single crown, pendants, ears and face are red, white skin, black and shiny feathers, feathers are more compact.

[Performance] Australian black chickens have strong adaptability and mature early. Hens lay at 6 months of age. The average annual egg site is about 160. The egg weight is about 60 grams. The eggshell is brown. The brood is not strong. The adult cock weighs about 3.75 kg and the hen 2.5~3 kg.

Rock chicken

[Origin] Locke chicken originated in the United States of America, Portsmouth Locke State, named after the origin, so it is called Locke chicken, introduced into China are horizontal spotted Locke, light yellow Locke and white Locke.

[Appearance] Cross-spotted Locke chicken is round in shape, all parts of the body are well developed, the whole body feathers are black and white stripes, the tail of the feathers are black, the stripes are clear and consistent, about two-thirds of the cock's self-color horizontal spots, black accounts for about one-third, the hen's black and white horizontal spots are almost equal, the hen's feathers are thicker when cooked, while the cock is lighter, single crown, red ear leaves, yellow, shin, toe and skin. The appearance characteristics of the pale yellow Locke chicken are similar to those of the horizontal spotted Locke chicken, except that the whole body feathers are pale yellow. White Rock chicken is a single crown, the pendants and ear leaves are red, the taste, shin and toe are dark, the skin is light yellow, and the whole body feathers are white.

[Performance] The average annual egg production of cross-spotted Locke chickens is about 180, and the high-yield individuals selected can reach 250. The average egg weight is 56 grams, and the eggshell is brown. The production performance of pale yellow Locke chickens was similar to that of cross spotted Locke chickens. The eggs produced by the chickens are 150~160 per year, the egg weight is about 60 grams, and the eggshell is light brown.

Langshan chicken

[Origin] Langshan chicken is native to Nantong area of Jiangsu Province in China. There is a hill in the south of Nantong Port, so it is named Langshan chicken.

[Appearance] Langshan chicken has two varieties of black and white. Its body appearance is characterized by upright neck, towering tail feathers, U-shaped back, developed chest, high body and long legs, powerful and magnificent appearance, suitable head size and black eyes. Single crown erect, crown, pendants, ears and face are red, white skin, mi and shin is black, feathers black, shin outer feathers, strong adaptability, disease resistance, chest muscle developed, good meat.

[Performance] The sexual maturity period of Langshan chicken is 7~8 months, with an annual output of about 170 eggs, egg weight of 59 grams, egg brown, adult cock weight of 4.15 kg, hen weight of 3.25 kg.

Nine jin chicken

[Origin] Nine jin chicken is one of the world famous broiler breeds, produced in Shanghai area of China, and has made great contributions to the improvement of foreign chicken breeds.

[Appearance] There are nine varieties of Jiujin chicken. The appearance characteristics are small head, short beak, single crown, pendant and ear leaves are bright red, eyes brown, skin yellow, thick and short neck, wide and deep body, short back and upward bulge, full chest, plump feathers, approximate square shape, short shin, yellow, with shin feathers and toe feathers.

[Performance] Nine-jin chicken is docile in temperament, strong in sex, late in maturity, laying at 8~9 months old, annual egg production of about 80~100, egg weight of about 55 grams, yellow-brown eggshell, tender meat, adult cock weight of 4.9 kg, hen 3.7 kg.

silk hair

[Origin] Silk-haired black-bone chicken originated in Jiangxi, Guangdong, Fujian and other provinces of China, distributed all over the country, also widely distributed abroad, classified as a play-type chicken.

[Appearance] The appearance characteristics of silky black-bone chicken are "ten complete", namely purple crown (crown like mulberry), tassel head (feather crown), green ears, beard, five claws, hairy legs, silk hair, black skin, black bamboo and black meat. In addition, eyes, taste, toes, heart and fat are also black.

[Performance] Adult cock weighs 1.35 kg, hen 1.20 kg, laying about 80 eggs, egg weight 40~42 g.