Best breed considering 3 factors; eggs, meat, and cold hardiness

[BantyChooks]

I'm surprised I haven't seen more posts regarding Rhode Island Whites.

They are very uncommon.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

They are very uncommon.

I got them last year from Cackle Hatchery and to be honest I WAS not impressed.

Slower to lay then the lorps or New Hampshires and still not consistently laying Large eggs.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

x2. I tried 20 different breeds not counting varieties before I found what I wanted.

I am still looking for my "breed" SLWyandots good layer BUT NOT large eggs BUT very easy to pluck and great flavor , Delaware's not impressed with , Light Brahmas' LOVE them to pieces but not efficient enough for my "main breed" , tried Cinamon Queens <sex=link> NEVER EVER again. So so far my main egg layers are the lorps and new hamps. Lorps are a royal pain to pluck/clean lots of black pin feathers

 

[BantyChooks]

I am still looking for my "breed" SLWyandots good layer BUT NOT large eggs BUT very easy to pluck and great flavor , Delaware's not impressed with , Light Brahmas' LOVE them to pieces but not efficient enough for my "main breed" , tried Cinamon Queens <sex=link> NEVER EVER again. So so far my main egg layers are the lorps and new hamps. Lorps are a royal pain to pluck/clean lots of black pin feathers

(Psst... Chanteclers )

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

(Psst... Chanteclers )

LOL I need to research them , I do need/want an excellent layer. And large or bigger eggs. Also around here I can't sell white eggs as "farm eggs" people don't believe you they must be brown or EE's

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

(Psst... Chanteclers )

Isn't that the only breed developed by Canadian's ??

 

[BantyChooks]

LOL I need to research them , I do need/want an excellent layer. And large or bigger eggs. Also around here I can't sell white eggs as "farm eggs" people don't believe you they must be brown or EE's

They are good layers of large brown eggs, even as pullets, at least in my experience. It's a pretty widely known thing that the Partridge birds are more likely to be annoyingly broody than the whites. I am impressed at how well they balance egg and meat production.

Isn't that the only breed developed by Canadian's ??

To my knowledge, yes.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

They are good layers of large brown eggs, even as pullets, at least in my experience. It's a pretty widely known thing that the Partridge birds are more likely to be annoyingly broody than the whites. I am impressed at how well they balance egg and meat production.

To my knowledge, yes.

I will have to see if "my hatchery" carries them. And the price. Although currently my second coop (for accurately measuring egg size and production for a breed) is full of muscovies.

 

[BantyChooks]

I will have to see if "my hatchery" carries them. And the price. Although currently my second coop (for accurately measuring egg size and production for a breed) is full of muscovies.

I should add that I don't have hatchery birds so I can't comment on the particular quality of whichever birds you end up purchasing.

 

[Folly's place]

I've also tried many breed types over the years, and recommend that the OP order a mixed group and see how things work out.
Almost all of my birds have been hatchery grade, as I'm not interested in SQ, but do want birds that fit into their breed descriptions.
The buff Orphingtons I've had did not impress; short lived, accident prone, not terrific. Also didn't love the Delawares. Australorps were fine but seemed to fade into the background somehow. Sex-links were miserable!
I've been very happy with my white Chanties originally from Cackle, and have a small breeding group. Also like Wyandottes and currently have BLR and BLS color varieties.
Consider Plymouth Rocks; I had some buff hens who were lovely, much nicer than those BOs! Speckled Sussex hens are the friendliest birds ever, very nice. I'll always have a few. Also for egg color variety, EEs and French Marans. Last but not least, Jersey Giants are lovely. My hatchery birds varied a lot in mature size, but that wasn't a terrible thing. They are worth having. They grow to maturity slowly, as do the Cornish.
Leghorns and sex-links are the best layers, but not the best for meat, so that's a trade-off. I thought the leghorns were like 'roadrunner' in the cartoons!
Your best bet for continuous egg production is to have several different breeds, and sixteen hours of light in the coop over winter. Having the hens molt at different times is a real asset!
Mary