Best dual purpose breed for sustainability

[rachelsflock]

You should always move to the country, but that's beside the point (I can't,but I still have fun)
That should provide more than enough eggs for a family of four. Many days in the summer you should be getting five or six eggs a day. Just as a warning, the meat later will be tough. If you do wind up eating them when they quit laying (not just after their first molt, that's a temporary break), make sure you brine them in the fridge for a few days and make sure the meat is well rested, then cook it slow and low with a little extra water to overcome that. I love my pressure cooker for really old birds.
Good luck!

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

we miss having the australorps so adding them back this year. will probably add ameraucanas too.

Only keeping the best and will sell off those that dont make the grade. Not looking for the largest. Not looking for the smallest. going for midsized heavy laying birds to keep back

 

[cubalaya]

ok that didnt happen. we added 2 cream legbar pullets and a gray american gamefowl pullet. may add a show quality white cubalaya pullet by the end of the month. if the cream legbars make it through the winter and lay some pretty blue eggs, i will buy a legbar rooster in the spring. the gamefowl pullet will be bred to my best manuel reynolds asil in hopes of some nice gray roundheads.

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

ok that didnt happen. we added 2 cream legbar pullets and a gray american gamefowl pullet. may add a show quality white cubalaya pullet by the end of the month. if the cream legbars make it through the winter and lay some pretty blue eggs, i will buy a legbar rooster in the spring. the gamefowl pullet will be bred to my best manuel reynolds asil in hopes of some nice gray roundheads. 

Why wouldnt the
cream legbars make it through the winter.

 

[cubalaya]

i heard they were not a strong breed. they seem ok but i would like to see some eggs

 

[teaton]

Cant belive noones mentioned rhode island reds, they are usually rated as the top dual purpose breed, mine lay an extra large brown egg everyday day all year long, and can dress out between 5-8 pounds. Id also say black australorp all around they are a great bird also lays a egg a day all year long dresses out to the same as rir typically but thier advantage over rirs is that they go broody where as rirs do not, not the production strain I have anyway, and thats a big plus! 3rd Id say are speckled sussex they dont lay as many eggs per year but 5 a week isnt bad either! They dress out to be heavier than rir or ba.

As far as taste ive heard wonderful things about the rir and speckled sussex even though I personally havent tried one yet. Rir use to be only breed for meat production in US because thier meat was so tender and juicy they were the prime choice for most,before the cornish came lol. I dont know if thats still true today in the production strain though, and the speckled sussex held the same value in the UK once upon a time but also has had some production straining along the years.

All 3 breeds mentioned above bear confinment well, are good foragers, are hearty birds and do well in both extreme heat and cold, so you cant go wrong with any of them! Heck get a few of each!

 

[miss heny]

The issue with RIR is that many stock has highly aggressive roosters, or are more producing red type from hatcheries.

Also for meat wise deleware ruled the meat market for twenty years in the US, now a dying breed to a point if you can aquire good stock this breed is perfect for a small homestead for both meat and eggs. Another good preex is naked necks, but obviously you must love that odd look to own any. Within the US it rare to find NN being bred to standard, but when you do they are a sight to behold.

 

[teaton]

Its all in the way you raise them as with any animal, my rooster has no problem letting me pick him up and carry him around, but ive handeled him daily since he was a chick.

 

[Data]

From my research I determined that the Australorp is the best dual purpose breed available. I have three in a mixed flock. I was going to get six, but ended up with three Sicilian Buttercups on a whim. The Australorp is a great producer of brown jumbo eggs and a fair bit of meat when they stop laying. Mine have lots of personality and are friendly and easy going. Quite the talkers and curious. The Buttercups are pretty and good layers of small eggs, but the big black girls are much more interesting.

Good luck with your flock

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

After many years at this. I have come to the conclusion we must have a meat bird and an egg layer. Also everyone needs English Orpingtons to be their broody hens because they do it better than an incubator and a broody box.
English Orpingtons are the most beautiful dual Purpose birds to ever be invented but like so say, they make the best broody hens. Revising my lists of lists.