Dual-Purpose Flock Owners UNITE!

[Agricola]

This is a great thread! I am new to chicken raising but my goal is to eventually have a self sustaining dual purpose flock. Right now I have 25 RIRs that are about four weeks old. I may try to keep a rooster from this flock and hope that at least one of the hens goes broody, but it doesn’t sound like the RIRs are good at that. Does anyone have experience with non-industrial strains of RIR? Do they do any better as mothers?

In the spring I would like to get some Jersey Giants to use dual purpose just to try it out. I was leaning towards Dominiques as my main long term dual purpose breed, but after reading through this thread and the ALBC web site, I am thinking about Buckeyes or Delawares.

One characteristic I really like is good foraging skills. I really want my flock to primarily feed themselves (and shorten my lawn mowing time).

 

[Pathfinders]

Buckeyes, Buckeyes, rah rah rah!





(Don't hit me, I know I sing a one note song in here.)

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Quote:
You may need to practice rotational grazing, and move them around the yard to the places you want them to clear/eat. We have open bottom sliding shelters that really need to be moved daily, as the poop build-up under the roosts needs to be kept manageable. All that fertilizer might make your lawn grow faster!

If you let them roam the yard, you may need to fence your vegetable garden and flower beds. And watch for predators.

Primarily feed themselves....that might be a bit to expect! Even on good pasture and given whatever kitchen scraps and garden extras I think would be useful for their diets, chickens will still need adequate feed to put out eggs and put on meat.

Do not misunderstand me, I am all for

approaching

zero input chicken flock management, but for the chicken's health and well being, I know I will always need to supply adequate supplemental feed, shelter, water, health monitoring, etc. If I want my eggs and soup meat.​

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Quote:
Good points all in your post.

I get frustrated when breeders focus on a single trait and end up with animals that seem built ONLY to please a fancier.

I'm prepared for the tomatoes, but for me, red cap chickens with combs so big they cannot see, and showgirls, etc. have no purpose other than to show what breeders can make happen. I would call that their single purpose. Those who like them can continue to do what makes them happy, it just isn't what I want to do.

I am glad to see so many people are interested in production traits. It is like finding old friemds.

When culling, keep the APA standard in hand, but don't get your flock to be perfectly featered and laying only one egg a week when it should be 5 or 6. There has to be a balance

 

[embkm]

I'm researching which breeds I want to focus on. It is so hard to jsut pick a few breeds, but I really want to focus more on dual purpose as opposed to eye candy.

I did have a question about bantams though. Are there any dual purpose bantams? I would probably only have a breeding trio or quartet, but would like to have the option of using the extras for meat if need be.

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
There are several large fowl breeds that have bantam analogues: the various Plymouth Rocks, RIRs, Orpingtons, and of course, Buckeyes, to name a few. Mind you, you'll never get a carcass like a Cornish Cross, but it would be interesting to experiment to see how meaty you could make some of them.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
I think I know that song.

 

[tberggren]

This is an interesting thread, I have been selecting breeds that are dual purpose also. But I have a question.

Which breed do you find that produces the most body flesh for the $$

I heard it said that Orpingtons eat a lot. I have a mixed flock so I can't tell, but I do go through a lot of feed

 

[chickinlickin]

Ok, I see that I am not going to get thru this thread in 5 minutes... This is a good one! I'll have to subscribe and come back later to read it all.

Just wanted to say "thanks" to everybody for sharing ....

Lots to read and consider.....

 

[walkswithdog]

I have a use for bantams - broodies. They're broody little suckers and they don't break eggs like the heavy foots. If they're raised free ranging - they're accepted by the flock and protected by them and then they're useful.

True you'd have to eat three to get a meal but with the way I'm hatching roos that's a possibility. Not really - the other thing I like about silkies/sizzles/seramas is they sell like hot cakes, always. Not for a great deal of money but always solidly and for profit since they don't eat much and sell well. I get 8 or 10 for them when I'm selling off extras - even roos. I keep some hens for breeding or brooding. They pay for feed for the entire population fairly often.

Mine free range so they're not a pain, unless I'm penning up for show birds.

My Delawares and Rocks handle eggs, meat duties.

But Sizzles/Silkies/Seramas can handle broody really well, and then I'm not worrying about how often the Dels go broody.

The mix works because bantams are profitable and increase sustainability and THAT IS part of the game.

The idea of "zero input" feeding is cute but not functional. When that happens you decrease egg production substantially, and get very lean chickens. Ick.

I have a friend who feeds his birds far less and less quality than I do. He gets significantly fewer eggs from his birds/per bird than I do. And his will lay in spurts depending on forage available, and quit or slow when it's lean. And quit over winter. Nuh uh, not happening here.

I want the best egg production I can get - because that pays for feed and feeds me. So I buy a high protein layer ration. And I get great results from providing it. Most of my hens will lay most of the way through a molt, and they all lay through winter. I'll take it.

If I had no money - I'd still supplement with what I could afford - selling eggs or chicks, because otherwise you lose flesh as well.