Death layers in ontario?

[Oob Child]

Why are they called 'Death layers'? I would think it's because of their eggs being black but they apparently lay normal eggs.
A chicken that lays black eggs would be really cool!

 

[NatJ]

Why are they called 'Death layers'? I would think it's because of their eggs being black but they apparently lay normal eggs.
A chicken that lays black eggs would be really cool!

Here is an explanation of why they are called deathlayers:

"There are two competing theories. A literal translation of its German name, Totleger, means “death layer.” One theory has it that the name was bestowed because the hens of this breed are so productive they lay an egg each day until the day they die. The second theory – less sensational but probably more accurate -- is that the breed was first described by a different name in low German (Dauerleger or, literally, “day layer”), and over the centuries this name morphed into Totleger. Either way, what cannot be denied is that the Deathlayers do lay a large volume of medium-sized white eggs"

source: https://greenfirefarms.com/deathlayer.html
(Greenfire farms imported some to the US from Germany, and has been selling them since then.)

 

[Oob Child]

Here is an explanation of why they are called deathlayers:

"There are two competing theories. A literal translation of its German name, Totleger, means “death layer.” One theory has it that the name was bestowed because the hens of this breed are so productive they lay an egg each day until the day they die. The second theory – less sensational but probably more accurate -- is that the breed was first described by a different name in low German (Dauerleger or, literally, “day layer”), and over the centuries this name morphed into Totleger. Either way, what cannot be denied is that the Deathlayers do lay a large volume of medium-sized white eggs"

source: https://greenfirefarms.com/deathlayer.html
(Greenfire farms imported some to the US from Germany, and has been selling them since then.)

I think I'll stick with the first meaning, it sounds way cooler!
It's really interesting. Maybe I'll look into more wierd chicken names.

 

[chicken1234]

I was reading a Kijiji ad about them. There is a breeder in Hastings Ontario but she is sold out. Pullets $260 each.....

 

[friednotscrambled]

There is a reason they are not popular...
They are extremely hard to raise to adulthood. I spent about $500 (or more) trying to put together a flock of 7 or 8. Then, when you do finally get your flock together, the hens lay inconsistently or the roo ends up sterile. You get maybe 3 eggs a week from one hen. Sometimes less. And they definitely DO NOT lay until they die. I have a hen here (one of my two remaining deathlayers) that has not laid an egg since she was 2.5 yrs old. Not sure why I keep her around.

Yes, they are a stunning bird! But they are not all they are cracked up to be.
I miss my roo, he was a nice one.
I am hatching a few eggs from my remaining DL hen that does lay 'some eggs' crossed with a golden laced wyandotte. Just for fun, I expect to get some 'lemon' shades in the offspring..... But I doubt I will ever get any more purebred DL's.

 

[friednotscrambled]

I was reading a Kijiji ad about them. There is a breeder in Hastings Ontario but she is sold out. Pullets $260 each.....

Stay away... FAR AWAY

 

[chicken1234]

Stay away... FAR AWAY

Not interested just sayin