You’ve decided it’s layers you’re going to keep but you don’t know what to consider when choosing the best breed for your farm.
If you’ve not yet decided it’s layers, please check this post where I give the 6 reasons that made me choose layers over broilers before you continue.
There are over 40 layer chicken breeds, and it can feel overwhelming to select the perfect one for your farm.
Although I’ve already shared my list of the Top 3 layer chicken breeds, I believe it’s even more useful to give you the factors you should consider when making your choice. That way, you’ll know how to pick the breed that best fits your goals and situation.
These are 9 factors to consider. The first 3 are general factors, while the last 6 are chicken-specific factors that focus on the characteristics of the birds themselves.
Hopefully, by the end of this guide you’ll be able to make the right choice of breed based on facts. And the best part? You’ll also be able to advise that friend of yours who’s just getting into egg production on what they should look for.
GENERAL FACTORS
1. GOALS
When given 10 days to cut a tree, I’d take the first 7 sharpening the axe. You’ve probably heard this saying before.
But here’s the best version — I got it from Seth Godin. He says it’s not just about sharpening the axe today. Instead, it’s about going back 20 years and asking: Which tree should I plant, and where should I plant it, so I can come back to cut it down 20 years later?
That same thinking applies to farming.
What is your goal with layer chicken farming?
Are you planning to have a big commercial farm?
Do you want to sell eggs for profit?
Or is your plan to simply get a steady supply of eggs for your family?
Maybe you just want a pet!😂
This matters because different breeds have different egg production levels, require different levels of care, and some can even be quite fierce — not ideal if you’re looking for a pet.
And if you want both eggs and meat, you should consider dual-purpose breeds like Kuroiler or Kenbro.
👉 If you want to know which breed is best for commercial use and which one is better for personal use, check this guide.
2. AVAILABILITY
Don’t tell me you want to rear the Jersey Giant and you’re in Kenya — let’s say Kilifi.
Why? Because you’ll most likely not find them locally. You’d either have to import or search endlessly. Honestly, I’ve never seen them here in Kenya. Maybe they exist somewhere, but I personally haven’t come across them.
So, your choice of breed should depend on what is easily available around you. This way, you’ll save on transport costs and avoid unnecessary headaches.
3. MARKET
If your market prefers white eggs, get the White Leghorn. If your market prefers brown eggs, choose any of the other breeds.
Don’t make the mistake of taking white eggs to a brown-egg market or brown eggs to a white-egg market. You’ll struggle to sell.
Of course, you can still succeed if you focus on that small niche white egg market and serve it well — but that’s beyond the scope of this post. I’ll cover it in a future post.
CHICKEN SPECIFIC FACTORS
4. PRODUCTIVITY
Different layer breeds have different levels of productivity. Hybrids usually have the highest.
For example, ISA Brown will produce more eggs per year compared to a KenBro.
So, for commercial purposes, you definitely want to choose the breed that gives you the highest number of eggs annually.
5. FEED-TO-EGG CONVERSION
This is the amount of feed a chicken eats that actually gets converted into eggs.
For instance:
Breed A: 1 chicken eats 100g of feed = 1 egg.
Breed B: 1 chicken eats 150g of feed = 1 egg.
Which one should you choose?
Clearly, the one with the higher conversion rate, because it takes less feed to produce an egg. That means lower costs and more profit.
6. LEVEL OF CARE NEEDED
Are you a hands-on guy?
Are you willing to learn how to manage chickens properly?
Some breeds, especially Hy-Line, require a higher level of advanced care compared to breeds like ISA Brown or dual-purpose breeds.
If you’re just starting out and want something simpler, go for breeds that need less specialized care.
7. LOCATION
Some breeds are suited for cooler, temperate regions,like the Brahma while others thrive in warm tropical areas.
So, choose the appropriate breed for your climate to get the best results.
8. ADAPTABILITY
While some breeds are developed for specific regions, many can adapt and still perform well in both cold and warm areas.
Breeds like ISA Brown, Hy-Line, and Lohmann Brown are known to do well in a wide range of conditions.
9. DISEASE RESISTANCE
In general, hybrids tend to have better resistance to diseases than pure breeds. This is because superior qualities are selected during their production.
Most hybrid producers will specify the exact strengths of their birds, including the diseases they resist best. That makes it easier for you to choose.
One Last Thing..
Now you have a clear checklist to run through whenever a friend recommends a breed — or when you come across one online. This way, you’ll avoid making a choice you regret later.
To help you even more, check out my recommendations for the top 3 layer chicken breeds in Kenya if you haven’t yet.
Also register for free to get my guide plus the Layer Chicken Digest Tips via email.
See you next Friday!
Carlos Deche
carlosdeche4040@gmail.com
secretlayerske@gmail.com