Best egg production and meat bird

[ging3rhoffman]

We are trying to determine which chicken breed we would like to have for a dual purpose bird. Any ideas? So far we are looking at the silver laced wyandottes, buff orphingtons or maybe even the rhode island reds. We only want our own personal flock...maybe just a dozen hens and a rooster. We just want the best, largest eggs and best largest meat. We wont use them for meat if the economy doesnt go to super pot.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

The golden comets do really well for a dual purpose bird. I would get a white rock rooster and about 12 of the golden comet hens. The cross will make very healthy chicks.

Not to mention the golden comets can't be beat in egg production for nice big brown eggs.

Also if your going to go for a dual purpose breed for meat... go with a breed that is known for great egg laying abilities as the roosters are still going to take up to 15 weeks to fill out.

 

[sandspoultry]

Buff Orps are our main dual purpose bird with RIR's 2nd. The Buffs lay a large to jumbo sized brown egg and dress out very nice

Steve in NC

 

[bigredfeather]

I'm going to get some Buff Orps for my sole dual purpose breed. From what I've read they have become my breed of choice. I have RIR's right now and they are great layers. They don't have the size to be a good meat bird. The BO's are great if you like the dark meat as my family does.

Another reason I think they are a good choice is because the are known to be very broody and great mothers. If given the correct coop set-up, they will multiply with very little effort on my part. I'm going to start with 25 straight run chicks I'll be getting in mid March.

I've also read BO's are very friendly and pleasant to be around. I have young children, and I like for them to be able to be around them w/ out worry of a beat down. lol.

 

[davidb]

RIR and if you want to raise a few get a couple of game hens to set the eggs under

 

[azelgin]

Of my GLWs, SLWs and the BOs, the GLWs from the hatchery I bought all the chicks from, seemed to put the weight on faster than the BOs. The BOs lay bigger eggs. I didn't butcher any of the SLWs, but they seem to be on par with my GLWs. Hope this makes sense.

 

[bheila]

Our BO's are definitely the best choice for a dual purpose chicken. They lay good throughout the winter and are far bigger then the rest of my dual purpose chickens. Although we just butchered some of our BLRW roosters and they were huge.

 

[digitS']

From personal experience:

Barred Rocks turned out to be rather scrawny birds which is a little surprising since I've got one hen now that has always been anything but scrawny. They do make good laying hens for a dual purpose breed.

Light Brahmas took terribly long to grow and develop. I really like the personality of the breed, however.

Australorps have surprised me as fairly good meat birds. They are also good layers. They were developed as Australian Orpingtons.

I have only limited experience with a few RIR's and Orpingtons as meat birds and they were very satisfactory. About the latter, they have probably been the least productive in the egg department that I've had but this was years ago. That tendency to go broody isn't really an indication of high productivity. Nevertheless, for quiet gentle birds - you can't go far wrong with Buffs.

. . . . just my own opinion here, and making do with what was available from the hatcheries.

Steve

 

[vyvial]

We did Barred Rocks which were great but I would probably go with Buff Orps next if I need a duel purpose. I have one as an egg layer and I like her a lot.

 

[TJ's Na-Na]

This is my first visit to this particular subject. But, am
surprised at what I'm reading. Am sure it was something I
was doing, but I couldn't get eggs worth a squat from some
Buff Orphingtons that I had around here a few years ago.

For egg production, I keep Easter Eggers, Production Reds,
and Cinnamon Queens. The only problem with the CQs is
that they lay an egg that is soooo large, you can have prolapse
problems. I have put a RIR roo with them, hoping that their
offspring will lay a slightly smaller egg.

But, guess my question is......... Our 10 year old is "major"
into 4-H and showing his chickens. We lucked onto a pair
of New Hampshire Reds and he has done really well with them
at the shows. So, I started reading everything I could get my
hands on about them. Supposedly they are a super dual
purpose bird. I know the hen lays very well. And, we have
incubated some of them and you can almost watch these
chicks grow. I have never seen anything grow like this.
And, these are bantams ! I can only imagine how Standard
New Hampshire Reds would be.

So, am wondering if anyone can tell me what I'm missing that
the New Hampshire Red is not a more widely used bird.

Have a good one !