I ran across this website while researching chicken breeds. So much info on here, I have spent all my spare time reading as much as I can over the last couple of days. Yet, some questions remain, so here I am.
My wife and I had a small farm in South Central PA with a large flock of Red Sex Link's for years. The most ever was 200 hens, but average was about 125. They were all free ranged, cooped at night. Still lost at least 50% each year to predators. We sold the eggs as a hobby and just enjoyed it, not to make money. Over the years it got tiresome buying chicks each year so we let the flock go down to 20 birds. Even then, we still lost chickens to predators. Bought some chicks from the local Ace Hardware one year to supplement the losses. I forget what breed they were supposed to be, but we ended up with some very large, fluffy, white roosters. We let them go until one attacked our two year old daughter. He raked her across her belly in front of my wife. Wife beat the rooster to death with a shovel, and that was the end of our chickens.
Fast forward 4 years. We have moved to a new farm, daughter has grown, and we are looking for new chickens. Only this time I want to keep it small and focus on standard breeding of a single flock. My daughter is very interested in joining the Cloverbuds and I would like to get some ready for her to show in competitions, as well as provide eggs and meat for us and family. So I have been trying to learn about the Dual Purpose/Heritage breeds, and ran across this wonderful site.
I have learned so much already.
Thanks, Rob
My wife and I had a small farm in South Central PA with a large flock of Red Sex Link's for years. The most ever was 200 hens, but average was about 125. They were all free ranged, cooped at night. Still lost at least 50% each year to predators. We sold the eggs as a hobby and just enjoyed it, not to make money. Over the years it got tiresome buying chicks each year so we let the flock go down to 20 birds. Even then, we still lost chickens to predators. Bought some chicks from the local Ace Hardware one year to supplement the losses. I forget what breed they were supposed to be, but we ended up with some very large, fluffy, white roosters. We let them go until one attacked our two year old daughter. He raked her across her belly in front of my wife. Wife beat the rooster to death with a shovel, and that was the end of our chickens.
Fast forward 4 years. We have moved to a new farm, daughter has grown, and we are looking for new chickens. Only this time I want to keep it small and focus on standard breeding of a single flock. My daughter is very interested in joining the Cloverbuds and I would like to get some ready for her to show in competitions, as well as provide eggs and meat for us and family. So I have been trying to learn about the Dual Purpose/Heritage breeds, and ran across this wonderful site.
I have learned so much already.
Thanks, Rob
and Welcome To BYC!
