Nice to see so many people into it. I’ve had laying hens for close to 10 years now; got into it by accident when a BIL had to move from his farm and he gave me all of his hens.
Mine have a roomy coop, and large fenced yard and live like queens. I used to sell the eggs to a local yuppie deli, but then I changed jobs and it wasn’t convenient to drop them off anymore. Now I sell all we can produce to one guy; it’s wonderful to come home to cash in the fridge, Baby. ;) It defrays their feed costs, and of course we eat all we can stand each week, too.
I used to let them roam, but they destroyed one of my garden beds; I’d let them have it if I didn’t need it to feed ME!
They get cracked corn and laying mash and eat seasonally, as do we. The only thing I’ve found that they won’t eat are raw potato peels, but they will eat baked potato skins.
I like the Buff Orpington and Araucana breeds for consistent brown egg layers year-round and the colorful eggs from the Araucana.
We raise Black Australorps. Sell ~15 dozen eggs each week, and hatch ~50 chicks each week. “Black” chickens are “in” this year. Can’t hatch enough. The chicken coop is moved each week to keep the nitrogen level from getting out of hand in one spot. We have Red Tails, they don’t bother the hens. Catch a 3’ foot Rat snake each week, take him 10 miles away, he finds his way back. Guess I need to take him farther.
Buffs are the best, I concur having had several breeds. They lay well on less feed than some meatier breeds Ive had; and the roosters are not aggressive. They also tend to be broody, which I like. Watching a mother hen raise a clutch of chicks is a lot of fun.
Right now I have Gold Stars which I'm not too fond of: need a lot of high protein food, tend to molt, and the rooster is mean.