We are looking to add to our free range hens. Are there any breeds that are better suited to free range. We have warrens at the moment but they seem to stop laying as soon as the weather changes.

Most of the commercial hybrids should do well. we put battery operated lights in for winter to keep the hens laying, pure Marans and Plymouth Rocks are doing well in the organic flocks, the Black Rock hybrids do better than any others we have tried to date, the Black tails seem to be doing well on other farms doing free range eggs.

We have lohmann brown, they seem yo be quite hardy and lay a lot of eggs.  Hyline is the other breed we use if we can't get lohmanns, hardeier still but will lay less egg.

As has already been mentioned, make sure they have at least 14 hours light.  They will also need more food, make sure they are getting about 130g - 140g each, any less and they will use the energy for body heat instead of egg production.

The Bovans Brown, & Blacktail are good choices. Production is excellent, they seem well suited & robust for free range systems. Last winter I recorded temeratures as low as 1 - 3 celcius in the houses & they carried on laying regardless. As for lighting, 14 - 16 hours per day is crucial to keep them laying & don't skimp on the feed! Our birds are eating nearly 150 grams per day.

We find out Marans and Light Sussex are the best layers