I want ONE breed...DUMB???

[Ms Rose]

I have only 5 hens; 2 Barred Rocks, 1 chocolate Ameraucana, 1 gold laced Wyandotte and 1 Isabel Orpington. The Barred Rocks lay the largest and most eggs and one of my two goes broody frequently. The Orpington lays the smallest eggs of my 5 and lays less then the others. The Ameraucana’s eggs are also on the small side but bigger than the Orpington. She lays more than the Orpington but not as many as the Barred Rocks. The Wyandotte is somewhere in the middle.

Based on observation of my own hens I would highly recommend the Barred Rock. They are a dual purpose, heritage breed, friendly, lay a lot of large sized eggs and are a pretty hardy breed.

 

[762]

I'll cut straight to the point-

Get a standard bred bird(s). There is no comparing a good breeder stock to even the best hatchery you could find. The standard bred win every time.

What you are looking for is a dual purpose bird. You'll never get that from a hatchery; their birds are bred for egg production. The body shape and size are wrong in hatchery stock. For true dual purpose you must start with a standard bred bird.

Any dual purpose breed you can obtain from an actual breeder will suit you nicely. Orpington are just Plymouth Rocks bred in England. Australorp are Black Orpington bred in Australia. Any dual purpose standard bred bird will brood. None will be aggressive. The body type of all dual purpose are the same, it's what makes them dual purpose.

Wyandotte, Rocks, Chantecler, Buckeye, New Hampshire, whatever. Ensure you get them from a breeder not a puppy mill and not a person who is hatching from hatchery birds. You need to obtain standard bred. The difference is night and day and the only thing that actually is a dual purpose bird.

Your local breeders have likely downsized for winter by now. They will have held over extra stock for final evaluation prior to breeding. Talk with these people and ask if they'd sell you a trio or quad of what didn't make their breeding cut in the Spring. Let them know feather color or pattern is of no concern. You want good dual purpose stock for a closed flock for homesteading.

So do you think getting the straight run of lavender Orpingtons from the breeder I’ve spoken to is a good place to start? There are a couple of local chicken swaps going to take place the next couple of weekends…perhaps I could find more of what I want there. I do like the idea of having two breeds and seeing which one seems to fit our surroundings and our purposes best.

My plan is to build a fairly large brooder this week and get the Orpingtons when they hatch over the weekend. Then put all my focus into building a coop while they are still young enough to stay in the brooder. I can get it done.

I have been reading a lot and talking to a lot of people and understand the importance of what you are saying regarding ventilation, predator-proofing, and getting them sheltered before dusk.

My neighbors (don’t get me started) have a rooster that’s half Copper Maran that they’ve pretty much abandoned (neighbors just disappear for months at a time). SO, he is a survivor because he is doing everything 100% on his own (NO idea where he roosts at night). Well since we decided we are DOING this chicken thing, I’ve seen him around more. Today he was totally just hanging out with us while cleaning the garage, but not letting us get too near. I had my daughter feed him some sunflower seeds and within a few hours she was able to pick him up!!

The long aside there was to say, I am pretty sure I can convince my neighbor to let us adopt this rooster, and, if so, I bet he would be great at showing the little ones the ropes. Unless he decides to eat them,

 

[WallyG74]

So do you think getting the straight run of lavender Orpingtons from the breeder I’ve spoken to is a good place to start? There are a couple of local chicken swaps going to take place the next couple of weekends…perhaps I could find more of what I want there. I do like the idea of having two breeds and seeing which one seems to fit our surroundings and our purposes best.

My plan is to build a fairly large brooder this week and get the Orpingtons when they hatch over the weekend. Then put all my focus into building a coop while they are still young enough to stay in the brooder. I can get it done.

I have been reading a lot and talking to a lot of people and understand the importance of what you are saying regarding ventilation, predator-proofing, and getting them sheltered before dusk.

My neighbors (don’t get me started) have a rooster that’s half Copper Maran that they’ve pretty much abandoned (neighbors just disappear for months at a time). SO, he is a survivor because he is doing everything 100% on his own (NO idea where he roosts at night). Well since we decided we are DOING this chicken thing, I’ve seen him around more. Today he was totally just hanging out with us while cleaning the garage, but not letting us get too near. I had my daughter feed him some sunflower seeds and within a few hours she was able to pick him up!!

The long aside there was to say, I am pretty sure I can convince my neighbor to let us adopt this rooster, and, if so, I bet he would be great at showing the little ones the ropes. Unless he decides to eat them,

Wow, that got morbid rather quickly! Most of the time, it’s the hens you have to worry about being mean to little chicks. I skipped so forgive my ignorance, but if you adopt this rooster, it won’t match your ONE breed. That’s assuming you’re still going with Orps.

 

[762]

Wow, that got morbid rather quickly! Most of the time, it’s the hens you have to worry about being mean to little chicks. I skipped so forgive my ignorance, but if you adopt this rooster, it won’t match your ONE breed. That’s assuming you’re still going with Orps.

The plan would be to get rid of him once a hen starts to become broody. Sad just to think of it already since he was so cool today!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Temper changes with flock dynamics. The lone cock bird is looking for a flock. He'll be in good temper as he is wanting to be accepted. Once he has a harem of mating age pullets his temper could swing to aggressive. You won't know until you try. He'll need to be culled two weeks prior to collecting eggs for hatching or there will be his genetics in them.

I didn't read your post on Lav. Orpingtons. If you researched the breeder and have seen the stock then sure. I'd be wary of Lav. in it's dual purpose performance and would want some weights or pick up in my hands to feel a few birds first. The fancier the bird the further from standard they tend to be. And of course where did they get their stock? Could be someone who started mating hatchery birds. They just don't perform. And you have to do your homework.

Look around and do research. There is no hurry. Chicks now won't be breeding until next summer. An adult pair or trio you can be hatching from this Spring. Mingle with the chicken folk at the swaps. Ask questions like where they got their stock, what do the cockerels weigh at 12 to 14 weeks, how broody are the hens and so on and so forth. Ask if they will have extra adults once they set up breeding pens. Remember you didn't care about feather color or pattern so let them know you are looking for standard bred birds for homesteading not showing. You'll get less expensive birds that way.

Half the hens brooding once per year is good. All the hens brooding and half of them multiple times per year is not. After all you want eggs to eat too. Silver Pencilled Plymouth Rocks are like that. It's a pain busting the birds from brooding and then having to wait for them to come into lay again just to have most of them start to brood a few eggs later. Just one of the reasons when it was time for me to go back to one breed of bird we went with my son's Wyandotte. Plymouth Rock are not overly broody but the Silver Pencilled variety is. I've got a fancier variety of Wyandotte but they have good growth and weight. My cocks are actually a bit heavier than the standard for Wyandotte weight. And they are Blue Laced Red variety so it's not impossible to get good stock from a fancier variety. And again, you need to do your homework and ask questions. A variety of breed can be very different from the norm for that breed. Each breeder can change traits, you need to know each breeders stock not what you read about them.

On entering a pair at one of the local fairs the state inspector was there to test for Pullorum and AI. When I lifted the cocks wing for him to take the blood sample he exclaimed "My god, look at that wing!" And that right there is what I've been saying. Most of the birds at local fairs are hatchery stock. He typically tests at egg factory barns, think red sex-links. He was aghast at the size and meatiness of this full grown bird. Night and day difference from what he was accustomed to testing.

 

[762]

Temper changes with flock dynamics. The lone cock bird is looking for a flock. He'll be in good temper as he is wanting to be accepted. Once he has a harem of mating age pullets his temper could swing to aggressive. You won't know until you try. He'll need to be culled two weeks prior to collecting eggs for hatching or there will be his genetics in them.

I didn't read your post on Lav. Orpingtons. If you researched the breeder and have seen the stock then sure. I'd be wary of Lav. in it's dual purpose performance and would want some weights or pick up in my hands to feel a few birds first. The fancier the bird the further from standard they tend to be. And of course where did they get their stock? Could be someone who started mating hatchery birds. They just don't perform. And you have to do your homework.

Look around and do research. There is no hurry. Chicks now won't be breeding until next summer. An adult pair or trio you can be hatching from this Spring. Mingle with the chicken folk at the swaps. Ask questions like where they got their stock, what do the cockerels weigh at 12 to 14 weeks, how broody are the hens and so on and so forth. Ask if they will have extra adults once they set up breeding pens. Remember you didn't care about feather color or pattern so let them know you are looking for standard bred birds for homesteading not showing. You'll get less expensive birds that way.

Half the hens brooding once per year is good. All the hens brooding and half of them multiple times per year is not. After all you want eggs to eat too. Silver Pencilled Plymouth Rocks are like that. It's a pain busting the birds from brooding and then having to wait for them to come into lay again just to have most of them start to brood a few eggs later. Just one of the reasons when it was time for me to go back to one breed of bird we went with my son's Wyandotte. Plymouth Rock are not overly broody but the Silver Pencilled variety is. I've got a fancier variety of Wyandotte but they have good growth and weight. My cocks are actually a bit heavier than the standard for Wyandotte weight. And they are Blue Laced Red variety so it's not impossible to get good stock from a fancier variety. And again, you need to do your homework and ask questions. A variety of breed can be very different from the norm for that breed. Each breeder can change traits, you need to know each breeders stock not what you read about them.

On entering a pair at one of the local fairs the state inspector was there to test for Pullorum and AI. When I lifted the cocks wing for him to take the blood sample he exclaimed "My god, look at that wing!" And that right there is what I've been saying. Most of the birds at local fairs are hatchery stock. He typically tests at egg factory barns, think red sex-links. He was aghast at the size and meatiness of this full grown bird. Night and day difference from what he was accustomed to testing.

So the Lav Orpington breeder knows someone who also breeds BLR Wyandottes and said she would check with them for me. I will ask her where her stock originates.

So when I ask these questions, the problem is I don't know the right answers. I don't know what good weights are for the various breeds, etc.

I know you say there is no hurry, and maybe I am paranoid, but the way things are going I want to get some chickens now. It is something I have wanted to do for years, and for various reasons have not. I am very motivated now and need to ride the wave I'm on. Partly my personality, but mostly I think food prices are about to absolutely skyrocket, along with building materials and just about eveything else.

 

[NatJ]

I think food prices are about to absolutely skyrocket

Chicken food prices have been going up, and sometimes one kind or another is out of stock. Quite a few people on the forum have been complaining about this.

(Not a reason to change your plans, just a detail to be aware of.)

 

[762]

Chicken food prices have been going up, and sometimes one kind or another is out of stock. Quite a few people on the forum have been complaining about this.

(Not a reason to change your plans, just a detail to be aware of.)

Right...so I am really hoping we have enough foraging opportunity in my area to keep them mostly fed. I can extend my backyard area quite a ways, too.

 

[NatJ]

Right...so I am really hoping we have enough foraging opportunity in my area to keep them mostly fed. I can extend my backyard area quite a ways, too.

Just to state the obvious: a small flock requires less food than a large flock. So the fewer chickens you have, the closer your backyard forage will come to meeting their needs.

It's easy to get enthusiastic and start with a large number of chickens. Sometimes that is a good thing (because you can keep the best for breeding and eat the rest), but it does affect how much food you need to buy for them, and how much damage they do to the plants in your yard. Once they kill the plants, it is harder to get new ones to grow back, because young seedlings are so much more fragile than established plants.

 

[3KillerBs]

Right...so I am really hoping we have enough foraging opportunity in my area to keep them mostly fed. I can extend my backyard area quite a ways, too.

There are people who manage to keep fully-ranged flocks in highly favorable climates/environments. They are almost inevitably game-type chickens. Modern chickens are so much more productive than chickens 100 years ago that we really *cannot* expect dual-purpose chickens to thrive -- or often even survive -- without considerable input of feed.

You might find this book from 100 years ago interesting. It was aimed at improving farm flocks to provide a then-profitable 100 eggs per hen per year -- from LEGHORNS. Last year the worst hen in my flock, a Light Brahma, did better than that. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/poultry-for-the-farm-and-home.1443907/

My belief is that if your environment doesn't already support feral chickens it's unlikely to fully support your chickens on range. Having a diversified small farm with other animals and a range of different crops available improves the odds.

@U_Stormcrow is working on towards a landrace capable of enough foraging to make a difference in his feed bill. His thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/23666059