Best All-Around Chicken Breed?

[Bullitt]

It's been a few years since I saw those New Hamps. IIRC he was getting 3-4 eggs per week from the pullets/hens. which isn't too bad imo. Seems it would be a good dual purpose. The ones I've had over the years in the personal egg flock have not been aggressive at all. Just a normal chicken. Competitive maybe, but not aggressive.

RIR would be fine to I'm sure. Slower growing and more feed to get them there.

A larger Leghorn that goes broody won't have the egg numbers of the production leghorns, but still impressive. They will also require more feed. At that point you might as well look at American Dominiques. Their size is between leghorns and most american dual purpose breeds.

I mentioned before that the New Hampshire would be a little better for meat and the Rhode Island Red better for eggs. The New Hampshire is almost a strain of the Rhode Island Red, which was used to create the New Hampshire. Both of these breeds are good contenders for all-around chicken breed.

 

[CJLR]

brahama hens will forever be my favorite. in my experience they do wonderful in the heat and cold ( but living in North Carolina we have vary mild winters) and I have never butcherd one so I don't know if brahama meat is good

 

[Bullitt]

Buckeyes! A great dual purpose breed with meat capabilities, egg laying abilities, occasional broodiness, does well in all climates, and is great at free-ranging. A plus is their great temperament.
I’m a little biased of course, but I think they’re the perfect bird for your situation.

Thank you, but it is not for my situation. This is a discussion to determine the best all-around chicken breed.

The stocky Buckeye with a pea comb does very well in the cold. If I get a Buckeye rooster, I would have to name him Jim. Buckeye Jim.

I would have to give the Buckeye the edge for cold weather and the Rhode Island Red the edge for egg-laying.

 

[Amer]

Thank you, but it is not for my situation. This is a discussion to determine the best all-around chicken breed.

The stocky Buckeye with a pea comb does very well in the cold. If I get a Buckeye rooster, I would have to name him Jim. Buckeye Jim.

I would have to give the Buckeye the edge for cold weather and the Rhode Island Red the edge for egg-laying.

Yeah I agree with your conclusion. Buckeyes are better than the Reds at meat producing, but Reds are better for eggs production.

 

[Bullitt]

brahama hens will forever be my favorite. in my experience they do wonderful in the heat and cold ( but living in North Carolina we have vary mild winters) and I have never butcherd one so I don't know if brahama meat is good

The Brahma is a good dual-purpose chicken breed, handle cold and heat alright, and they will go broody. They will lay about 200 eggs a year, which is good. You can also get the Light Brahma that is mostly white, which is probably better for a meat bird.

There are breeds that lay better than the Brahma, and the Brahma may be too broody. Their feathered feet also collect mud, snow, and ice. The biggest disqualifier for best all-around chicken breed would be their slow growth rate. It takes more time for the hens to get to their 10-pound weight and to start laying eggs.

 

[Bullitt]

Contenders, so far:

Australorp
Buckeye
Delaware
New Hampshire
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red
Wyandotte


I see a pattern here. Almost every breed on the contenders list is an American breed. It is not surprising since American farm families wanted an all-around chicken breed. The Dominique, America's oldest breed, is so close, but I just feel like they are a little light. The Swedish Flower Hen or the California Gray/Grey is also a little light to be considered good meat chickens, based on my 6 pounds for hens and 8 pounds for roosters. If someone was less focused on meat, these breeds would be excellent choices.

 

[Frog Bog]

I mentioned before that the New Hampshire would be a little better for meat and the Rhode Island Red better for eggs. The New Hampshire is almost a strain of the Rhode Island Red, which was used to create the New Hampshire. Both of these breeds are good contenders for all-around chicken breed.

Yes I am aware. I was agreeing with you.

While the New Hampshire might have been selected from the RIR long ago, I'd bet it would be hard to duplicate today. They are two distinct breed of chicken.

Confining either into their breed description doesn't really explain things. There is a lot of variation within each breed.

 

[Amer]

Contenders, so far:

Australorp
Buckeye
Delaware
New Hampshire
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red
Wyandotte


I see a pattern here. Almost every breed on the contenders list is an American breed. It is not surprising since American farm families wanted an all-around chicken breed. The Dominique, America's oldest breed, is so close, but I just feel like they are a little light. The Swedish Flower Hen or the California Gray/Grey is also a little light to be considered good meat chickens, based on my 6 pounds for hens and 8 pounds for roosters. If someone was less focused on meat, these breeds would be excellent choices.

Yes! And they are all composite/dual purpose breeds with Asiatic blood.

 

[Bullitt]

Yes! And they are all composite/dual purpose breeds with Asiatic blood.

All chickens are originally from Asia, where they evolved, so it would make sense to say that chicken breeds have Asiatic blood. But I know what you are saying. Breeds like Cochin, Malay, Java, Shanghai, Langshan, and on and on from Asia were used to create the breeds on the contenders list.

 

[Bullitt]

Yes I am aware. I was agreeing with you.

Yes, I know. And I was not disagreeing with you. We agree.

I was just saying that I had mentioned something and was repeating it. I have learned that after the Rhode Island Red was established that it went through more changes with other genetics being introduced. I agree that they are two different breeds. They do have many similarities, though. They are both good dual-purpose breeds.