ISA Brown

If you would like an all around great chicken that lays LOTS of great big brown eggs, then look
for ISA Brown Chickens! They are wonderful chooks! They are sweet, friendly quiet mannered
chickens that enjoy sharing affection with their human families. And, to top it all off, grab your
egg baskets, because these beautiful copper penny coloured hens are prolific layers. Typically, a
single hen will provide your family with three hundred to three hundred and fifty big brown eggs
per year. How egg-citing!

HISTORY

 Origin: French
 Size: 4.5-5.8kg
 Rarity: Common
 Purpose: Egg Production
 Recognised Variations: Copper

EGG FACTS

 Medium
 300+ Eggs Average Annually

FEATURES

Caring for your girls is easy. They are wonderfully low maintenance and adapt easily to various
climates and surroundings. Being the prolific egg-layers that they are though, these gals may
need some supplemental protein due to the fact that their bodies convert the protein from their
feed into egg producing fuel and thus, their lovely feathers will need some protein TLC. Early
maturation allows these chickens to begin laying anywhere from sixteen weeks to twenty-two
weeks of age versus the point of lay of other breeds which can be up to twenty-four weeks or
even longer. Purchasing ISA Brown Chickens at point of lay is a wise decision and a great place
to start whether you are a veteran or a new chicken keeper looking for an egg-cellent, highly
reliable laying hen.

BACKYARD BEHAVIOUR

 Hardy in Winter: Yes

 Especially Docile: Yes!
 Personality: ISA Brown Chickens are one of the best breed for a first time chicken owner,
they are extremely personable and get along with humans extremely well. Isa Browns are
also a great choice for the family with children, whether the kids are at home or school
age, ISA browns are gentle chickens that tend not to be flighty around children as some
other breeds are.
 Family Friendly Rating: 4.5/5
 Other Chicken Breeds with high ‘Family Friendly Rating’: Orpington, Rhode Island Red,
New Hampshire, Polish & Barred Plymouth Rock
 5 reasons we love ISA Brown chickens

The ISA Brown is a humble chook. The name ISA Brown is not actually a breed name, but a copyrighted
brand name. The breed was developed and patented by a French company in 1978 for optimum egg
production and since then their popularity has grown to great heights. They are the most well-known
choice for backyard chicken coop keepers and farmers alike, but these gorgeous girls are renowned for a
bunch of reasons. We love the ISA Brown for her gentle nature, her resilience and her egg-straordinary
egg laying talents that leave all other hens in the dust-bath! Have a sticky beak at the five reasons the
egg-sperts here at Backyard Chicken Coops are in love with the humble ISA Brown and coo her praises
daily.

1. ISA Browns are Ready to be Rescued

ISA Browns were specially bred to be egg-ceptional layers, which is great for backyard egg
recipe lovers, but unfortunately means they are the most common breed of chook used in battery
egg production in Australia. Because of this, they can spend most of their egg production years
exposed to heat lamps that create false daylight to promote irregular laying. Frankly, our ISA
Brown girls deserve better!

On the bright and sunny side up, these gorgeous girls are often available for adoption from local
rescue organisations. Their hardy nature and happy go clucky attitudes means that these go get
‘em girls don’t require much from their backyard chicken coop keepers to live out a happy and
healthy hen life. ISA Brown hens are a great choice for first time Chicken Ladies and Lads and
for those looking to add to their feathered family flock. Check out your local and state rescue
organisations (such as Hen Rescue in NSW and Homes for Hens in QLD) to start your flock off
with a few friendly and fabulous ISA Browns.

2. More Chicken Cuddles Than You Can Shake a Feather At!

The ISA Brown is an affectionate chook who adores human company. They love nothing more
than getting to know their family, both feathered and human, and can often be found gracing the
laps of Chicken Ladies across the nation. They like to be cuddled and touched and, because of
their docile nature, tolerate even the tiniest and clumsiest of hands. Especially if it means they
will get pats and a lap to sit on! The ISA Browns are great for families with kids and also
Chicken Ladies who are looking to snuggle with their fine feathered friends and form that special
chicken bond. Of course, every chook is unique and their own clucky personalities will develop
over time, but ISA Browns are a pretty safe bet if cuddling chickens is on your agenda! Their
food motivated minds will respond positively to treats and this is a great way to build a loving
and lasting relationship with these amber hued beauties. You will have a constant free range
companion who will curiously look on as you tend to the garden or work in the yard.

3. Here an egg, there an egg, everywhere an egg egg!

These chooks sure know how to make an egg! In fact, the ISA Brown were bred specifically for
that purpose. In the case of adoption, these girls are usually rescued from the battery after their
prime years of laying. You may not get the egg yield out of a rescue ISA Brown hen that you
would if you purchased a hen at point of lay but with the right care and diet they may still
produce a lovely bounty of eggs for the family to enjoy.

If ISA Browns join your flock at point of lay (which is an early 20-22 weeks of age!) then get
ready to be gifted with a delicious, nutritious and abundant supply of eggs. These ladies are
almost unstoppable layers and have been known to provide up to 300 delicious eggs per year for
your family. If you had two ISA Browns that could be as much as 600 eggs per year! If you had
three ISA Browns that could be as much as 900 eggs per year! Who said math isn’t fun? That’s a
lot of eggy goodness from such a small feathered flock and when you run out of recipe ideas it
might be a good idea to become the egg queen of the neighbourhood and give the gift of fresh
eggs to all your fence sharers!

4. A Hardy Hen to Share Your Coop

Isa Browns are a hardy breed of chook and can live almost anywhere. They adapt well to almost
any climate, are not fussed by the cold and don’t require any fancy grooming to flourish. As
deeply invested Chicken Ladies and Lads, we know that these girls will prefer the warmth of a
secure coop, a sturdy perch, and a protected run in order to live the hen life of their dreams. Like
any hen, they will excel with enrichment, so provide them with plenty to peck at and forage for
and don’t be shy about giving them occasional treats of delicious cracked corn or mealworms.

The beauty routine of the ISA Brown is minimal, but important! It includes the traditional
chicken ritual of dust bathing, so access to dry soil on occasion is a must. Like any other breed,
ISA Browns require worming and need to be protected from lice, mites and other pesky pests, so
a pest repellent and absorbent bedding material like hemp is an egg-cellent choice for keeping
your graceful girls peacefully pest free.

If you do go the route of adopting an ISA Brown, it’s good to know that these hens may require a
little extra care and attention during the first few months of their much needed retirement. They
may not quite understand the concept of bed time or where the appropriate place to lay an egg is,
but over time will adjust to their routine and will figure out the best way to do things in their new
coop home.

5. What Pretty Plumage You Have!

They say that blondes have more fun, but these beautiful brunettes are out to prove that brown is
just as brassy. The ISA Brown’s beautiful, amber hued plumage, soft red combs and sparkling
copper eyes make these graceful birds a pretty pick for your flock. It is a delight to watch them
frolic and forage in afternoon light and see the sunrays reflect off of their shimmering copper
feathers. And yes, we know that looks aren’t the most important aspect of choosing a chook, but
there is a lot to be said of their understated elegance.