Adding to my flock.....

[amomwithbirds]

Hello everyone, I have posted this question before but have not gotten much of a response. So, I thought I would try again and maybe add a little more info. I currently have a flock of 13 Rhode Island Reds, 1 roo and 12 hens. I love them. They are great layers and are easy to work with. I would like to add some different breeds to my flock. What I want is to eventually have a nice barnyard mix that will be dual purpose, laying well as well as being good meat birds. I also want something that will go broody on occasion so I don't have to always hatch the eggs myself. My RIR never go broody. I have 24 eggs in the incubator now. So, what breeds would be good to add? I want larger chickens that lay well and go broody. And that will mix well with my current flock. All info is helpful, thanks in advance.

 

[dekel18042]

Some random thought on what lay well and go broody. Some favorolles go broody, but can be low on the pecking order so might not fit into your flock unles you can keep them separate. . They're also not big birds as far as meat, but if you're looking to hatch chicks, they might fill the bill.
You're better off avoiding production breeds and going with heritage breeds. They are still supposed to go broody.
Some of the breeds I am aware of that have either sneaked away on their nests or raised chicks by hatching their own eggs have been wyandottes, Americanas and Jersey Giants, as well as some mixed breeds. The three breeds I have named also are decent egg layers.
Bantams are good at hatching chicks, but of course they are small. You should find something along the heritage breeds you like that will do the job and be good dual purpose birds.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

Just a thought Barred rocks are decent layers and I believe are on some "sometimes broody" list. And if you crossed your roo with pullets/hens you would end up with Sex links. I personally Always have great luck with BA's but 1 broody in 6 years of birds (Until maybe today, barred rock might be setting now). Roosters can get nice size. Only issue with most DP birds is they are not DP anymore, mainly egg production from most hatchery birds. And a lot of body size is lost breeding eggers instead of DP. Never had luck with BO going broody either, and a lot of people swear they most broody DP there is. Every flock, every bird is different.
Wish I had the RIR roo my grandmother had when I was about 5. He was HUGE,(More like todays turkeys) a real meat bird before CX really hit big. But he was the gentlest rooster I ever saw, except maybe one of my 1st CX.
Probably best bet would be to find a breeder that has heritage birds that they are breeding to SOP of for DP. Like I said most hatcheries don't try for the true DP anymore. Most people think hens=eggs. CX makes meat. That's where their knowledge ends and they happy with that.