Best Dual Purpose Breeds?

[turtlebird]

Delawares or Buckeyes, not hatchery stock.
Remember when mixing 'colors' that birds of a feather flock together. I was unaware of this saying and have found it to be true, not necessarily due to feather color (but perhaps?) but different breeds have unique temperaments.
Have fun building your flock!

 

[AlbionWood]

Here's another vote for Delawares!

 

[hwxeper]

Do birds of a feather flock together? I was told that if you had a "mixed flock" you would inevitably get crosses.
I am leaning strongly towards Delawares and Cochins. I like Partridge Cochins and Blue Cochins. Definitely want a standard bird. Too many hawks around that would just love to scoop up a teeny bantam.
I had a grandfather that had a whole barn full of RIR's. In my experience with those birds, they have bad temperments. I was always on guard around them and I mean hens too. The hens were just as nasty as your worst roosters. I don't know where he got them (I dont think he ordered them). May be it was just a bad flock of birds. But those are the memories I have of RIR's.
I am not that familiar with sex-links other than you can tell the se by the color of the chick at birth, something about them not breeding true, they lay lots of eggs, and could possibly be used as a meat bird. They sound like a lot of work to me. I want a flock that will stay around the barnyard and other than me intervening to feed, water, treat, make sure they have protections from predators and weather, collect eggs and cull to be just fne doing their own thing. I dont want to have to worry about the chicks coming out looking completely different from their parents. Are sex links considered a breed?
Faverolles are very beautiful birds. Docile temperment which I like. Good weight on them for a meat chicken. Cold hardy which is good and several people have said they lay well through the winter but I dont know how accurate this is? Just when I have my mind made up someone throws another idea in my head!

How easy is it to find Fav breeders though? I am aware of the plunders of hatchery stock lol I have read way to many posts on BYC not to get the message through. I am more than content to wait and get quality chickens that are going to last and be a treasure than poor quality that will give me headaches.
I like Speckled Sussex and Wyandottes too...but I can't have them all!

 

[hwxeper]

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I know absolutely nothing about Buckeyes other than they are very rare.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Yupp, I'd say buckeyes!

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[keesmom]

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I currently have Favs and Sussex, and have had Wyandottes in the past. All are/were breeder birds and have/had great temperments. The Sussex definitely produce the largest eggs and by far grow the fastest. They are also the largest birds I have. However mine are from a specific line - Greenfire - so I can't speak to how other strains produce. My roos are about 12 lbs and hens 8-10 lbs.

My Favs are my faves. Sweet docile birds and always underfoot. They are smaller than my Sussex but big enough for meat birds. Egg size is smaller though. My old wyandottes produced eggs the same size (medium-large), and matured about the same weight as the Favs. A big point in the Wyandotte favor is the rose comb. Much less likely to suffer frostbite. I've had some issues with the single combs here this winter.

There are many breeds out there that will suit you, and some have been suggested here already. Maybe you could start out with a mixed flock for a while to see which breed you prefer? Then search for breeders at that point? I know that would mean some mixes but mixes are fun too.

 

[pascopol]

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If your winters are really cold stick with peacombed breeds.

Buckeyes, Wayandottes, Dominiques, also Canada originated Chanteclers are your top choices then.

Forget silkies (unless you do not mind eating black meat)

Also forget bantams, poor and erratic egg production.

I tried bantams for eggs but it did not work, getting rid of all my bantams. No bantam of usable size (meat) will lay more than 150 eggs per year tops, perhaps Leghorn bantams would, but I don't think you want leghorn bantam for meat.

 

[gilariversun]

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If your winters are really cold stick with peacombed breeds.

Buckeyes, Wayandottes, Dominiques, also Canada originated Chanteclers are your top choices then.

Forget silkies (unless you do not mind eating black meat)

Also forget bantams, poor and erratic egg production.

I tried bantams for eggs but it did not work, getting rid of all my bantams. No bantam of usable size (meat) will lay more than 150 eggs per year tops, perhaps Leghorn bantams would, but I don't think you want leghorn bantam for meat.

To the list above you could add Rose Comb Rhode Island Red.


But for me, I would go with either Buckeyes or Chanteclers. Buckeyes originate in Ohio to survive the winters there, and excellent birds are available. Chanteclers originated in Canada with a similar motivation. Excellent birds I know are available in Canada, and with research, are likely available in the USA. Add to this that both are on the critical list of The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and you would actually be making a difference in conserving these outstanding breeds for future generations.

 

[spiritdance]

Here's a vote for Plymouth Rocks! I have 7 Barred Rock hens and even in the winter I get at least 5 eggs a day from them. And they are MEATY! I have Rhode Island Red roos (so I can breed Black Stars), and my hens have a good 20 to 25% weight advantage on them. RIRs are considered medium/large birds, so that gives you some idea. Rocks don't have pea combs, but we've had some nastier than usual weather this winter and I haven't had any frostbite issues. I just make sure the coop is free from heavy drafts but ventilated enough to prevent moisture, I give them plenty of hay to huddle in if they get too cold, I use 2x4 roosts (wide enough to make them spread their toes and cover them with their underfeathers), and I put the highest roosts close to the top of the coop where the warmest air is.

 

[hwxeper]

If your winters are really cold stick with peacombed breeds.
I live in East TN, midway between Knoxville and Chattanooga. The coldest it gets here are a few rare nights in the teens but for most of the winter it stays between 30 and 40 degrees. Sometimes we get all four seasons in one day. I dont see there being any huge issues with cold weather other than frostbite on single combs. I would prefer a rosecombed breed though, just to make sure.
Buckeyes, Wayandottes, Dominiques, also Canada originated Chanteclers are your top choices then.

Forget silkies (unless you do not mind eating black meat)
I can say with absolute certainty than I will not be eating any black meat!

Also forget bantams, poor and erratic egg production.

I tried bantams for eggs but it did not work, getting rid of all my bantams. No bantam of usable size (meat) will lay more than 150 eggs per year tops, perhaps Leghorn bantams would, but I don't think you want leghorn bantam for meat.​