The poultry business dominates the agricultural industry. Farmers breed chickens for either eggs or meat production and in some cases for both purposes. When breeding chickens for eggs, farmers usually have a choice of the eggs they are to produce as they come in a variety of colours and sizes. As such, the selection of a breed that produces ideal eggs for targeted consumers is essential. Chickens that lay white eggs are often identifiable by their white earlobes, however, this is not reliable. As such, there is need for farmers to have knowledge about different chicken breeds so as to select an appropriate breed. The following are chickens that lay white eggs.
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Leghorn Chicken
Leghorns are the most popular breed world over, and they are among chickens that lay white eggs. They come in different colours from brown, black, blue to white among other types. The white leghorn is however the most popular of all chickens that lay white eggs. In fact, this breed accounts for over half the global production of white eggs; in some countries, approximately 90% of white eggs are from white leghorns. White leghorns are characterised by their standard white plumage, they have a single comb and clean legs without any feathers. Leghorn chickens are known for their curious and active nature. In addition, leghorns are efficient foragers therefore are not capital intensive compared to other breeds. None the less, they do require a nutritious supplementary feed in order to reach maximum productivity. Leghorns generally mature and begin to lay eggs in about 16 weeks old. They weigh roughly 2 to 2.5kg. Leghorn chickens produce about 250 to 280 eggs yearly. The egg size ranges from large to extra-large. In ideal environments, this breed can lay up to 320 eggs per year. In spite of their superior egg production abilities, leghorns are non-settlers thereby making them ideal layers. The upside of breeding leghorns is that they are quite hardy and can tolerate both heat and cold. None the less, take care to keep them warm during the winter season. Some farmers apply petroleum jelly on combs as a means to prevent frost bites.
California White Chicken
This breed is amongst the most highly famed chickens that lay white eggs. They hold an excellent reputation for producing large white eggs. The California White chicken is a cross breed between the White Leghorn and the California Gray. Both of these breed are excellent layers hence the superior laying capabilities of the California White chicken. They are easily identifiable by their white plumage with a few speckles around the body. They do not have feathers on their eggs. Interestingly, they are the only known hybrid breeds that only produce white eggs. California Whites are quite flighty and can be wary of humans. Hens weigh roughly 2.5kg and pullets about 2.25kg. They begin to lay eggs at approximately 15 weeks. On average, their laying abilities accounts to about 220 eggs per year. However, when kept in comfortable environments, they can lay up to over 300 eggs yearly. Although they are prolific eggs layers, California Whites are rarely broody. They are hardy and can thrive in both warm and cold weather climates.
Ancona Chickens
This breed is amongst the chickens that lay white eggs. As the name suggests, Ancona chickens originated in Italy, in the city of Ancona. They are characterised by their active nature and the ability to fly better than most breeds. As such, when breeding Ancona chickens, take care to install a longer fence so as to prevent them from flying out of the pen. Ancona breeds are also good foragers and layers. This makes them fairly easy to keep as they are highly profitable whilst demanding a limited investments. Ancona chickens are identifiable by their mottled pattern of black and a few white feathers all over their bodies. They are different from other chickens that lay white eggs because they have both rose and single comb variations. Similar to most chickens that lay white eggs, the Ancona has clean legs without any feathers. The Ancona hens weigh around 2.25kg whereas pullets weigh about 1.8kg. They tend to mature a little later than most breeds, at 20 weeks old. Hens lay anywhere between 240 to 260 eggs per year. Ancona breeds do not favour hot climates, they tend to thrive in cold weather conditions.
Hamburg Chickens
When choosing chickens that lay white eggs, Hamburg breeds should also be considered. They are said to be one of the oldest breed for egg production. Hamburg chickens are excellent foragers and are extremely flighty thus can easily evade predators. For this reason, they require a limited financial investment as they can be kept in free range systems. They are able to look after themselves better than most breeds. In addition, Hamburg chickens are relatively good layers of white eggs only. They produce glossy white eggs that are quite small in size. Typical Hamburg chickens can lay about 180 to 200 eggs annually. Hens weigh about 1.8kg while pullets weigh 1.6kg. Hamburg chickens usually start laying at 22 to 24 weeks old. They can be identified by their spangled and pencilled silver or golden feathers mixed with solid black or white plumage. They are a hardy breed that can easily tolerate both cold and warm weather conditions. Despite their good laying abilities, Hamburg chickens are not broody.
Minorca Chickens
Amongst notable chickens that lay white eggs is the Minorca breed. Minorca chickens have soft feathers and come in a range of colours. Hens have a glossy shine and tight-knit feathers hug their rounded bodies. They have a regal bearing as they walk with their head held high and chest puffed out. The Minorca breed has a rosy bright red cheek, comb with white earlobes. They are excellent foragers and prefer to free range thus are an affordable breed to keep. They however tend to be flighty therefore an appropriate boundary should be installed to prevent them from flying out of the pen. This breed favours warm climates but can tolerate cold weather conditions. Minorca chickens start to lay eggs at about 22 weeks old. Hens weigh in at roughly 3.5kg and pullets at 3kg. They have a large stature and produce roughly 200 to 260 extra-large white eggs. Due their large physical appearance, they are often kept for both eggs and meat production. The upside of breeding Minorca chickens is that they are able to lay throughout the year though winter production is often lower.
