I have partridge and Whites.
I had partridge first, because I was able to source some close to home. Later, I was able to bring my first trio of Whites in from Canada. I did not realize at first that they were not the same bird, it was only later after more research and reading that I discovered the partridge were originated in Alberta by someone else, and using a different group of birds as source stock.
My personal experience with partridge as homestead birds has been disappointing. Although this is a case where others seem to have large birds, that has not been my experience. My partridge are much smaller than the Whites. They have completely different personalities and habits. The white birds are very businesslike, I guess you could say. The partridge hens are very sweet, and generally spend most of their time being broody. What happen then is that this time of year, I have more partridge laying than whites, as the whites have gone though a very hard molt, and are now busy growing back feathers. All the birds ( of more than one breed) that were broody during the year have yet to molt, and are still laying. The whites will start laying again in a while after their feathers have grown in, and I do not use supplemental light. All the pullets will lay through their first winter without any light. I never use supplemental light, because I need to know who lays without it, for one thing.
These birds are raised and let loose together. I separate out my breeding groups in spring so that I know what is going on, as I also do pedigree breeding. If you breed the partridge and whites together, all you have are some pretty crossbreds.
As far as habits from one rubbing off on the other. No........ They are what they are. Again, that is my experience.
Early this last spring, I had around 100 babies in a grow out pen. Unknown to me, we had 2 families of hawks, cooper's and sharp-shinned living near that pen. Before we knew it, we had lost almost all of the Partridge babies. I lost one white. The whites are very hawk wary, and the partridge spent all their time with their heads down scratching. So much for the coloration making a difference. I have never ever lost an adult white bird to hawks, even though they roam several acres away from their home base. I have come to the conclusion that hawk watching, rather than feather color determines survival from hawks. That is just speaking from my experience.
As far as cold hardiness, both birds do just fine in Wisconsin winters. Most of my birds go through the winter in uninsulated mobile huts.
Both breeds (yes, I am one of the people who consider them separate breeds) lay brownish eggs.
Please realize that these are my conclusions based on my own experience and research. Others have reported similar findings, but I cannot speak for them.
Any more questions??
