New Hampshire Newcomer strain from Cackle Hatchery

[SE_Gardener]

Has anyone ever had the New Hampshire breed out of Cackle Hatchery" I just ordered some today. Their website describes them as the Newcomer strain, a strain reportedly developed by a Andrew Christie in the 1920`s for superior egg production. I also have an order placed with Sand Hill Preservation that has some New Hampshire's in it as well for comparison.
Based on all my chart comparisons, New Hampshire's rank tops overall for dual purpose breeds when I combine early maturity, egg laying, winter laying and meat. It seems a pretty hard pedestal to maintain and was wondering if people from experience , and particularly people that have or have had the Cackle Hatchery strain of New Comers can give me their experiences with them in comparison with other dual purpose breeds. Also, I am hoping some go broody, anyone have experience with theirs going broody and how often?

-Brian

Andrew Christie developed a meatbird strain of New Hampshires with egg production not the focus so naturally Christie's strain produced approx 180 eggs per year. Clarence Newcomer went the other direction and developed a strain of NH improving egg production. As a std dual purpose chicken the NH produces a wide range in egg numbers per year 180-220. Newcomber's NH are still large with a lighter carcass and considered dual purpose but maybe not the best candidate for a meatbird with a smaller carcass. Both strains are still NH. Both are fast feathering and fast developing. Neither of these strains are found any longer. They were developed a hundred years ago and with backyard flock owners tinkering with indiscriminate crossing of strains over the decades it's certain the genetics have long been diluted. And hatcheries produce eggs for chick hatch and not advertised as show stock. As for Cackle Hatchery Newcomer strain, they state that they acquired birds of that strain 80 years ago but their website states they continue to "improve" them. So while they may have NH from Newcomer's strain, although even diluted 80 yrs ago, I would think the Cackle Newcomer NH is probably as close to a heritage NH as you can get. In fact, I think that may have been the NH Cackle formerly used crossing with Delaware cocks to produce their Indian River meatbirds. I buy the Newcomber NH from Cackle and find them to be solid heritage types and use the hens along with Freedom Ranger NH hens with Delaware Roo and Plymouth Rock Roo crosses producing meatbirds. Remember chickens can have "genetics" suitable for meatbird production, but there will be variability and inconsistencies with "hatchery" chickens. Be prepared to strictly cull both F1 chicks and breed stock.