The best chicken breed to rear as an egg layer in India depends on the capability of how many eggs it can lay, but notice you may need to consider other factors like the climate in your area. For instance, some egg layers can survive drought more than others. Others need lesser feeding to produce the same number of eggs as some other heavy feeders.
Here are some choices you have when looking for a native, original, or cross-breed egg layer in India.
1. Upkari
These are the most efficient egg layers that you can rear in India. These hens typically lay about 170 eggs annually, which is high compared with many other chicken breeds in India. The chicken is a native Indian multicolored chicken characterized by a single comb and a medium-sized body. They have a Frizzle plumage which helps with faster heat dissipation, meaning they are more adapted to tropical climates specifically for arid zones. They have been crossed with Cari Red.
There are some sub-breeds of Upkari you should be aware of. These also record very high egg production and are recommended too alongside the Upkari breed. They include
- Caripriya layer is the most efficient sub-breed because it can lay up to 280 to 300 eggs annually.
- Carson can lay between 200 to 220 eggs annually.
- Cari Devendra layer.
2. Plymouth rock
This is originally an American breed of domestic chicken but has been widely farmed in India for decades now due to its capability and capacity to lay around 250 eggs every year.
3. Orpington
The Orpington is a very friendly chicken breed. They hail from England but have been farmed extensively in India for many decades now. They have beautiful and vibrant colors such as mauve, blue, black, or white. They lay around 200 eggs every year.
4. Bantam chicken
This is another chicken breed that is popular among pets for Indians. The chicken is characterized by a small size. It also requires less feed to thrive and survive. Typically, they lay around 150 eggs annually.
5. Kalamaki (Kadaknath)
The name of this breed comes from the color of its flesh. (Kala means black in India while mas means meat). Thus the name is given because the meat is black, and this means it can be distinguished from meant from other breeds at a mere glance.
It also has some sacred connotations and is used for making sacrifices in Hindu mythology. Its black meat is highly prized for its medicinal and epicurean value. This breed can produce 100 or more eggs annually, making it a great dual-purpose variety to farmers.
6. Hitkari
These birds are larger than your typical Indian layers. They are characterized by long necks that are not in fur. The neck becomes reddish around the age of maturity. These birds can produce 100 eggs per year.
There are some cross-breeds of Hitkari you might also need to know. These include the Cari Nirbhek, Kamrupa, and Pratopdhan Jharsim. They can yield around 150 eggs on average annually.
7. Varnaraj
This is a dual-purpose chicken variety developed by the Icar Directorate of poultry in Hyderabad, India in the backyard on natural scavenged food with minimal supplementation. The chickens have distinctive colorful feathers and are immune to diseases. They can produce 100 or more eggs annually.
