Starting a Heritage Breeding Program

[Vadard]

My goal in the beginning was a heat tolerant heritage breed and I landed on the Dominique.

I haven't had mine real long but I have brought in an older girl and see the grown personality as well to so I'm a little biased but I absolutely adore my Dominiques! Currently have 10.

They take our horrible Nevada heat pretty well (hottest day this year I believe was 110), not super flighty, everybody is super friendly, not super broody.

They are easily bullied though, I originally hatched barred rocks with them, needless to say I don't have the barred rocks anymore.

Good to know. I appreciate the info.

 

[3KillerBs]

Aussies are hard to beat. I have 5 black aussies that made 2 years in April and are still laying like crazy.

I figured I'd have a mixed flock and breed colorful mixes. Then I fell in love with these Blue Australorps!

 

[cubalaya]

Get a few of each breed plus some Australorps. In a couple of years you will only have Australorps

 

[AGeese]

I'm going to start a small-scale breeding program for a heritage dual-purpose breed, and I'm curious about what breeds y'all think would be best for a hot climate (Gulf Coast of the US). The birds will be confined in a run, but I'll likely free range them some, too.

The characteristics I care most about are hardiness and temperament (precocious is fine, but no drama queens). Eggs will be primary goal with meat secondary.

I've been reading up on a bunch of heritage breeds and am most interested in these:

• Delaware
• Buckeye
• Dominique

I'd appreciate any experience or advice y'all could share. I read somewhere that Delawares don't like hot climates, but I'm skeptical of that as I've seen a good many in the Deep South. Buckeyes seem like fun. And I like Dominiques because they are pretty and supposedly good mothers.

Or is there another breed I should consider?

My goal is to develop some high-quality stock over time and maybe sell some to other local homesteaders.

Thanks!

Buckeyes are cold hardy, not sure they're best for high humidity/heat if you have it.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Check out my thread for my culling project. Up here in the Florida panhandle, I am arguably Gulf Coast like you are. After reviewing the conventional American Heritage breeds I decided that none were suited for our climate. They are almost uniformly built for the New England states.

There have been heritage birds designed for down South, but they've never caught on. There was a woman recognized for designing birds by the State of Georgia, I believe - read a personal interest news article on it - but I couldn't find the names of them, much less someone preserving the lines. There was a guy with a line of famous birds for the area in Pensacola area too - can't find him anymore, or his birds.

 

[3KillerBs]

There have been heritage birds designed for down South, but they've never caught on. There was a woman recognized for designing birds by the State of Georgia, I believe - read a personal interest news article on it - but I couldn't find the names of them, much less someone preserving the lines. There was a guy with a line of famous birds for the area in Pensacola area too - can't find him anymore, or his birds.

I had no idea of this.

I'd had a vague idea that all the southern chicken breeds were game-types -- and if I'd ever really thought about it I'd have figured it was because game-types are so good at foraging and handling heat.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I had no idea of this.

I'd had a vague idea that all the southern chicken breeds were game-types -- and if I'd ever really thought about it I'd have figured it was because game-types are so good at foraging and handling heat.

and now I can't find the article - I spent about an hour searching for it.

Something I read a couple years back. They weren't meaties, but since OP was looking for primarily egg layers, that body structure isn't an immediate disqualifier.

I keep bumping into things like this article.

 

[Vadard]

Check out my thread for my culling project. Up here in the Florida panhandle, I am arguably Gulf Coast like you are. After reviewing the conventional American Heritage breeds I decided that none were suited for our climate. They are almost uniformly built for the New England states.

There have been heritage birds designed for down South, but they've never caught on. There was a woman recognized for designing birds by the State of Georgia, I believe - read a personal interest news article on it - but I couldn't find the names of them, much less someone preserving the lines. There was a guy with a line of famous birds for the area in Pensacola area too - can't find him anymore, or his birds.

Huh. I’ve never heard of the GA lady or the Pensacola guy. It is kind of crazy when you think about it. We have a somewhat extreme climate down here, and there are thousands of people fooling with chickens. There just ought to be some regional varieties by now.

Maybe that’s our job. I’m now leaning toward Delawares and Sussex (in addition to my black australorpes).

Maybe the best advice I‘ve gotten so far was to get the chicks from a local breeder or hatchery, so at least there’s a chance for some bred-in heat tolerance.

 

[Vadard]

Buckeyes are cold hardy, not sure they're best for high humidity/heat if you have it.

Yeah that tracks with other things I’ve read today.

 

[3KillerBs]

Maybe the best advice I‘ve gotten so far was to get the chicks from a local breeder or hatchery, so at least there’s a chance for some bred-in heat tolerance.

That's one of the reasons I prefer to order from Ideal.

I figure that their breeding flocks have to be pre-selected for heat-tolerance just because of where they're located.