Do you wish you would have gotten a different breed of chicken now that you have your flock?

I think the Dominique would be a good breed to raise. They are called "America's first breed" and on The Livestock Conservancy's watch list. Plus, your grandmother raised Dominiques.

How many of them do you have now? Do you plan to breed them, or did you just want to have some?

 

Spent a lot of time figuring out what type of chicken would work for me. Knew I wanted a larger bird. Clean legs. Something docile, friendly, pretty & smart. Something that didn't fly like a pidgeon. Then began researching the different breeds. I settled on Speckled Sussex! They met all my criteria & I loved their shape & profile. Loved their dots. Found a breeder. Was turned off of hatcheries by what I learned here. I have eight big fluffy hens. I love them! They are smart, good layers, great free rangers. What surprised me is how funny they are! And so sweet & friendly. I have a lead hen, but no picking on or pecking amoungest them. A great group of girls. I do see other birds I'm interested in. But love this breed so much I'm not sure I'd ever add another breed!

 

Oh!! One of my fav girls is a speckled sussex!! She is awesome! Hatchery, but still awesome.. I would like to try to get into heritage later maybe... but I have a few years... or maybe grow my own birds. Do you have any cool pics of them?

 

For me, my Speckled Sussex are perfect! I need to post some pics. I'm an avid gardener & can't imagine working outdoors without them. They aren't noisey, but are always softly murmering. I actually think they are gossiping!!

 

I wish I would have gotten more easter eggers and americanas. I accidentally ended up with one, I'm hoping she lays green eggs.
I'd want to get chocolate eggers, green and pinl etc.. but i am thankful that i got all hens.

 

In that last picture, you can really see the deep chest of that rooster. You are right. I have not seen Rhode Island Reds like that from a hatchery.

 

Those are a work of art...truly.

If life were in a different place in time, I'd have a flock of RIR and WRs out of lines that Bob Blosl had developed, and some stellar heritage line stock NHs. That would be all I need to be happy...those three breeds. One would have all the eggs, meat and beauty they could possibly handle with a flock like that.

 

Yep and that is what I had intended to start with right off the bat. Those RIR like Fred showed you. And he is where I got my layers. The dynamics in my coop are much better now. Hopefully in spring he will have some for me. I'll work on increasing the RIR by hatchlings and my original layers (were supposed to be RIR but were productions) and the WR mix and older WR I got from Fred retire, I'll turn the whole coop over to the RIR. Then that is all I will have.

I love those dark birds!!!! The culls will be enjoyed at the right age/weight and be a full flavor.... not like the production I lost. Not the full flavor I remember so I guess Granny had the old stock. Wish I had them.

 

If I see a new breed I really want I just make more room for it

 

Dominiques are AWESOME. But the same holds true with them as well. A hatchery Dom is nice, but a well bred SoP Dom is spectacular.