Dual Purpose Chickens

[anthonyjames]

Can someone explain what that means?

Does it mean they can lay eggs and hatch eggs? If they can hatch eggs don't you need a roo or do you not?

I am new to this and wondering what that means and if I decide to hatch eggs if I need a roo or just need to reorder babies again in the future.

 

[Lollipop]

Simply is a heavy breed that can lay eggs well or be slaughtered for meat........Pop

 

[cybercat]

A duel purpose breed which is many heritage breeds are called that because one can use them for both meat and eggs. No need to have 2 different breeds which most small farms or homestead do not want to have since space is a factor.

Most of the time if raising these birds you would hatch your own. Hens go for laying and roos go for freezer at 12 to 16 weeks. The meat of a duel birds is much better than the cornishX it has better flavor since it took longer to grow. When done right these are not tuff at all. Many of the breeds are actually multi purpose in that their feathers can be used to for crafts of fly fishing.

 

[Peregrine]

We'd like to raise chickens for duel purpose...so which ones are the best breeds? And how long do you keep them until you eat them? Until they stop laying?

 

[Judy]

Quote:
They will all lay eggs, but the eggs will not be fertile unless there is a roo. They will not hatch the eggs unless a hen goes broody. Some breeds are more likely to go broody than others. You can hatch the eggs yourself in an incubator if you don't have a broody hen.