All purpose chicken

[Joy2022]

Hi I'm new here to BYC and loving this site so far!

I've had several different types of chicken over the years mainly just egg layers though. Now I'm researching trying to find which breed or mix breed would make the best all purpose chicken. What I would consider all purpose is a chicken good at egg laying, meat, mommas and forager/ free range.

Any recommendations and reasons why or why not appreciated

 

[sourland]

Good luck in your search.

 

[Tookie]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
Barred Rocks may be a good choice, they are dual purpose.

 

[Acre4Me]

Any “Rocks” are good (Plymouth or White) or New Hamshires. Buckeyes were bred for this purpose too- I’ve got some 2-week old Buckeyes right now, but they are my first ones.

You will need to find a line that is bred for some size though - it is not uncommon to get some dual purpose that fill out a bit lean and lay only well enough…sorta. Of course, you could just work in that yourself- only hatch from eggs from larger hens. Only hatch from good layers.

The foraging part, that is a little harder- often the really good foragers or “street savvy” that might be able to get away from a predator tend to be flightier and leaner. But, if you grow forage for them with the purpose of being varied and decent nutrition for chickens then that’s a step in the right direction.

 

[3KillerBs]

Any of the heritage "Dual Purpose" breeds *might* work, to an extent. They were all originally selected as Jacks of All Trades -- the usual caveat of being neither so good at laying as the layer breeds nor so meaty as the broilers^. Some go broody, some don't. Some forage well, some don't.

Where, in general, are you located? Climate matters and some breeds were developed to deal with certain conditions particularly well.

^And this by even the historical standards of the historical broiler breeds like Delawares and Jersey Giants. Nothing dual purpose even comes close to a shadow of a Cornish Cross.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Your biggest issue will be that in recent decades survival instincts and skills have not usually been selected for. Breeds that were good foragers and survivors 100 years ago may not be today due to many generations of the breed being filtered through hatchery life where predator pressure doesn’t exist.

What’s your general location?