Are you searching for a few best large egg-laying chicken breeds? If yes, keep reading this guide, which includes information about various chicken egg sizes and a list of top egg-laying chickens.
Eggs laid by chickens positively impact your chances of succeeding and profitability in poultry. Some breeds of chickens lay small eggs, some medium, and some lay large ones.
Also read: Best egg-laying chicken breeds
Chickens lay different-sized eggs based on breeds, climate, species, and where they are raised. Some chicken breeds lay colored eggs and others that produce white eggs.
Different Types of Chicken Egg Sizes
Different types of chicken eggs are produced by different breeds, and the size of the eggs depends on the weight of the chicken, its age, and its health. Below are the different sizes of chicken eggs.
1. Peewee eggs
These are the lightest and are still a very rare size. These eggs are about 35.4 grams. Another name for these eggs is the pullet egg. They are laid by young hens that are not fully grown.
2. Small eggs
These are tiny eggs, also referred to as practice eggs. They are produced by young hens whose reproductive systems are still developing. However, some pullets produce normal eggs even at this stage. The small egg may weigh up to 38 grams.
3. Medium eggs
These are the most common size of chicken eggs produced by very young hens or even older hens that have not been fed well. They are unsuitable for hatching, producing a very low hatchability rate. The medium egg weighs about 53-63 grams.
4. Large eggs
These are the eggs you can find in your grocery stores. You can use these ones when hatching, mostly preferred by breeders and backyard poultry keepers. The large chicken eggs weigh 63 grams.
5. Extra-large eggs
These are the biggest size of eggs and are preferred by commercial farmers. The normal weight of these eggs is 64 grams.
6. Jumbo eggs
These are the largest size of chicken eggs. They are preferred by people who want a big egg or enjoy the yolk taste. The normal weight of these eggs is 70 grams or more.
11 Best Large Egg-Laying Chicken Breeds (List and Images)
In determining the right breed of chicken, egg size is essential. You would want to get a chicken breed that lays large size eggs.
Below is the list of the best large egg-laying chicken breeds with their images:
1. Leghorn Chicken
This chicken is the most popular choice for backyard chicken keepers as a large egg-laying chicken breed. You would want to get Leghorns should you want to raise chickens for their meat and eggs.
They are medium-bodied birds with roosters weighing around 7.5-8 lbs. Hens weigh around 5-6 lbs.
They lay 250-280 jumbo-size white eggs. Their fast reproduction rate makes them ideal for egg-laying, which can hatch up to 250-300 chicks within a year.
Their temperament is a little aggressive. The hens are broody and make great mothers. The hatching period of Leghorns is about 21 days.
The Leghorn chicken is a highly commercialized and industrially bred chicken. They are found in most grocery stores. These chickens live for 4-6 years, depending on the feed and how healthy they are kept.
They are easy to care for, especially in a place with mild weather. One disadvantage of Leghorns is their aggressive nature for mating and raising chicks.
2. Lohmann Brown Chicken
You can also have this chicken breed in your backyard to get large white eggs. They are friendly towards people and other animals on the farm.
This large-size egg-laying chicken is bred for its fast production ability, which allows them to lay 280-300 eggs in a year. They lay brown jumbo-size eggs. Being medium-sized, roosters weigh up to 5 lbs, while hens weigh 3.5 lbs.
Lohmann brown chicken is a docile and friendly chicken that is best for backyard chickens. They have a 4-5 years life expectancy and are a hardy breed. This chicken is low maintenance and does not require much care.
3. Delaware chicken
Delaware chickens are white with brown streaks and are very attractive. They have long body with big combs and wattles. They give about 200-220 jumbo-size eggs per year.
The color of the eggs depends on the breed of Delaware chicken. They are mostly dark brown. They are medium-sized chickens; their roosters weigh around 8.5 lbs, while hens weigh 6.5 lbs.
These large egg-laying chickens are calm, medium-sized chickens with a good disposition towards people and other animals on the farm.
They are not known for getting broody. It is not a good chicken for breeding purposes, so there is a need for an incubator if you want to hatch their chicks.
They are also great broilers. Delawares have a long lifespan and can live up to 5 or more years, depending on their care.
4. Welsummer chicken
Welsummers are very long and slim. They look like the Rhode Island Red and Rhode Island White chicken. The hens of this chicken breed lay about 200-250 extra large dark brown eggs per year.
This large egg-laying chicken breed is sometimes raised for dual-purpose to give meat and eggs. They are calm and easy to handle and are friendly. Rosters weigh 7.8 lbs, while hens weigh 5.6 lbs. They are broody and make good mothers.
Welsummer chicken is a great choice for backyard chicken keepers, as they have a good disposition. They have a high life expectancy of 6-9 years. They require little care and are easily adaptable to most climates. Their hatching time is about 21 days.
5. Barnevelder chicken
This is a very popular large Dutch chicken breed and is quite rare in most parts of the world. They are effortless to raise and require little attention. Each year they give 200 to 250 large white eggs.
They are often crossbred with other breeds to increase the egg production rate. The average weight of the rooster is 6.6-7.7 lbs, while the hen weighs 5.5-6.6 lbs.
These are medium-sized birds that are comfortable in a colder climate. They are friendly and make good mothers of their chicks.
Barnevelders are the small bird that children love. They are also good layers. This chicken breed lives for up to 10 years. They are resilient chickens that do well in most climates.
6. Buff Orpington
This is another popular Dutch chicken breed. They are also known as top-sirloin in other regions. Orpington chickens are rare as they have been crossed with other breeds, especially the Rhode Island Red and Rhode Island White.
The Buff Orpington chicken gives an average of 280-300 extra large light-brown eggs annually. Being large and heavy birds, they grow to around 10-14 lbs for roosters, while hens weigh around 7.5-8.5lbs.
Buff Orpington chicken is quite similar to the Barnevelder in looks and temperament. They are hardy birds that require little attention. Their eggs are of good quality and have a high production rate.
The hens will lay eggs at a young age, 8 months or less, and the eggs are fertile. They have an average lifespan of 5 years.
7. Minorca chicken
This rare breed of chicken has a large comb, wattles, and combs. This breed is good-quality egg layers and makes good broilers.
Male Minorca roosters weigh 9 lbs, and females weigh 7–8 lbs. They are of medium size and have a calm demeanor. They have good temperaments and make good mothers.
Minorca is great layers; you will get an average of 200-220 large-size white eggs in a year. They are docile and easy to handle.
Their large eggs are solid and of good quality, so incubators do not need to hatch chicks if you would like to hatch chicks. Their average lifespan is about 8 years.
8. Black Copper Marans
This is a large chicken that weighs around 6.5 lbs with a comb. They lay large size eggs. One hen can lay an average of 200-250 Brown eggs annually.
This breed is extremely fast in egg production and has a docile nature, making it ideal for small farms with low–maintenance systems. Roosters weigh up to 8 lbs, and hens up to 6.1 lbs.
Black Coppers Marans are a large bird with a docile nature and makes good mothers of their chicks. They are also good layers of large eggs.
The Black Copper Marans chicken is quite rare. They have a medium-colored body with black streaks. One advantage is that they can give you meat, eggs, and chicks all in one year. They have a life expectancy of around 8 years.
9. Speckled Sussex
These are medium-sized chickens that are docile and easy to handle. It is an all-purpose breed that annually gives an average of 220-250 large egg-rich brown eggs.
It is a great broiler that is highly adaptable to most climates. Hens weigh about 7 lbs, and roosters weigh around lbs. These are great mothers, and they can also be broilers.
The medium to large size and quality eggs make them a great choice for backyard chicken keepers. Many parts of the world don’t have the Speckled Sussex chicken, but it has many varieties.
They have a calm nature and can be friendly towards other animals on the farm. They have a life expectancy of around 8 years.
10. Silver-Laced Wyandotte
The Silver Laced Wyandotte chicken is native to the USA. It was developed in the 1870s and is among the most popular American chicken breeds.
A Silver Laced Wyandotte can lay 180-200 large light-brown eggs annually. They go broody easily and make great mothers. They are one of the best large-size egg-laying chicken breeds.
The weight of the males ranges from 8.5-9 lbs, while females weigh 6 lbs. This breed is fairly calm and is a good mother to their chicks.
This large egg-laying chicken breed is quite rare and very docile. They are good for families with kids because they have a calm nature. They have a high life expectancy between 5-10 years, depending on the care you give them.
11. Golden Comet Chicken
The Golden Comet chicken is one of the best large egg-laying chicken breeds and is very docile. They are easy to handle and make great pets, although they are also good for egg production.
They have a high life expectancy of around 12 years. The roosters weigh around 6 lbs, while the hen weighs about 4 lbs.
The Golden Comet chicken is a great choice for families with children, and they are easy to handle as they are docile. Golden Comet chicken lays an average of 280-300 large reddish brown eggs annually and is also a good broiler.
The hens of this breed are friendly but maybe a little nervous when handled. They are a great breed of chicken but are rare in most parts of the world.
FAQs on Large Egg Laying Chickens
1. What chickens lay the biggest or jumbo eggs?
Brahma, Australorp, and Leghorn chickens lay the biggest or jumbo eggs, while the Black Copper Marans and Golden Comet lay large eggs.
2. How to get chickens to lay bigger eggs?
There are things you can do to ensure your chicken produces bigger eggs. Feeding the chicken a high-quality feed is one of the most important things. Below are some other ways you can help your chickens produce bigger eggs.
Increase the size of their cage. The bird will feel more secure and happy in a larger coop and produce bigger eggs. The ideal size of their cage may vary depending on the breed you have and the type of chicken you want to raise.
Maintain a comfortable and clean environment for your chickens. A chicken that is comfortable and healthy will lay more eggs.
Give them plenty of water in poultry drinkers. Chickens that don’t have enough water to drink will not produce as many eggs as those who do.
Do chickens lay large size eggs all their life?
The larger eggs they lay are the earlier stages of laying. As they get older, the chicken will lay smaller eggs.
The size of the eggs also depends on your chicken breed. Feeding is also a factor. They will grow bigger and produce larger eggs if you give them a balanced diet.
When do my chickens lay large size eggs?
The laying cycle depends on the breed of chicken you have. Some breeds lay larger eggs at a young age. Other breeds require time before they lay eggs.
Conclusion
The above chicken breeds lay the best large-size eggs. They also make great pets, so if you are looking for large eggs, check out one of these breeds.
Remember to be patient when raising your chickens and give them a balanced diet, and they will start laying bigger eggs for you.
