Dual Purpose Birds?

[pepe1]

I have 9 RIR hens that give me 6 or 7 eggs a day and 6 Golden Comets that lay 5 or 6 eggs a day, i bought Dixie rainbows and Sapphire gem chicks as an experiment, very satisfied with the DR as meat birds and the DR and SG pullets are 13 weeks now so waiting to see how they lay, the SG are a beautiful blend of blue grey and black feathering.

 

[oldrooster]

I'm getting ready to order my first batch of chicks. I would love to have some layers AND some meat birds. I understand that the layers are usually only good layers for the first year or two, but I've gotten mixed reviews on whether or not they are good for eating afterwards. Any input? (I'm planning on starting with Silver Laced Wyandottes, Buff Orpingtons, and Light Brahmas)

Look up how to cook roosters here on BYC and those recipies will work on old hens, they get a little tougher/stringy with age but a good recipe will over come most of it.

No no ,don’t get sex links they will lay for 18 months to maybe 2 years then shrink in size and die, no no man made birds please

Any layer Rhode Island Red, rock cross reds , Columbian rocks all will lay for 3 years and up and give you good meat too.

Research the duel purpose breeds ..be kind to chickens

Sex links are not "meat birds" in the traditional sense they are categorized with Dual Purpose because they are laying birds, that someone found out decades ago mixing certain breeds makes it easier to sex due to color of the chick, I am sure some people buy them for meat birds because they can get the males cheaper since roosters don't lay eggs, and are "worthless" to many backyard flock owners....