Dual-Purpose Flock Owners UNITE!

[the1much]

i have EE's , EE mutts, arucunas,leghorns, rirs, atro's, buff orps,,and all round mutts,,,,not counting the birds for JUST the table ( ringneck pheasants,and guineas)

 

[MamaDragon]

We need a Dual Purpose Designer Chicken!

Required:
Size of the Brahmas, Cochins and NJGiants;
Early Maturing;
Heavy egg laying of large eggs;
Good winter layer;
Clean legs;
excellent broodiness and mothering;
high fertility/viability of eggs;
hardy, healthy chicks;
hardy under all weather conditions - wet, humid, hot, cold, drought, etc.;
easy-going temperment, especially in the roos;
breeds true;
able to survive on free-range only if necessary;
5 - 10 lbs butchered & cleaned weight;

Did I leave anything out??

Think we could get some of the Genetics Experts to help develop a Breeding plan?? We could develop the "BYC" breed of chicken!

 

[walkswithdog]

I'd settle for purebred APA standard Partridge Rocks, here's the news I got today.

Butch Gunderson got all of Bill Kruegers Partridge Rocks. Then Butch sold the majority of the Good ones from Bill Krueger to Doug Kreidler and after Doug got them he eliminated all of them except for 1 or 2 birds that he's going to put into he birds he got from me. The reason I know this is all three of these fellows are close friends of mine. Rod

Now I'm trying to find out if either Rod, or Doug still have any to part with. I'm betting on NOT. Sigh.

Looks like my pet project is going to be a long one. Oh well, I'm retired

Chickens, turkeys, goats and sheepies will keep me busy.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

we need to find that chicken before this!!!!

Article in yesterdays (9/19/08 paper ((http://www.thederrick.com/index.shtml)) I couldn’t figure out how to go to that date maybe U can!

“The government says it will start considering proposals to sell genetically engineered animals”
“For example the Food & Drug Administration does not plan to require that all genetically engineered meat, poultry and fish be labeled as such.”
“Talking about pigs they will have mouse genes in them, and this is not going to be labeled.”
Google - Article name is “For Dinner: Genetically altered “Super Chickens”
You will find many hits!

***I feel I have to find that heritage breed of chicken/turkey to breed for my family future!

My results
BO & Cochin are skinny – no real breast meat
I want to sell my dark feather chickens (horrible to pluck) buff comes off good!
Cornish are my favorite (but, I want something I can produce my self!)
My SF roo has grown out faster than BR, RIR (feathers under the brown by skin are white) I don’t know if he will stay like that but, I though that was promising!

My EE are great for eggs!
Brahmas & bantam Cochins, Silkies for kids!

Joanne

 

[DawnSuiter]

We ate our first Buff Orp... here's the thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=90419

YUMMY

 

[herbsherbsflowers]

I have Barred Hollands which were bred to be dual purpose birds. Ours are only about 16 weeks old now so they haven't started laying, but we harvested the 4 extra roosters that we had last week. I put them in the freezer. I am thawing one out to make chicken and dumplings today. It will be my first time eating a home grown chicken. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[MamaDragon]

If we've got any Genetics Experts out there, I'd really LOVE to hear from them on all this......

Here's my short-list for cross breeding for the eventual "Designer Chicken"...

Two of the top four are where I'll start come spring. Will eventually have at least the top six included. Haven't decided which will be hens, and which will be the lucky roo, of if I'll cross in both directions and determine the differences and go from there..

The remainder of the list are possible additions.

I'd appreciate any comments, personal experience, etc., expecially if you've crossed any of these against each other, and how it turned out. If you've gotten past 2nd generation especially!

I'd love to add Brahmas, Cochins, or NJGiants also, but I'm not sure how to do that without losing the earlier maturity rates of the rest listed.

If any of you would like to pitch in and do some crosses next year, we can then swap hatching eggs around the following generations, and MAYBE get further together than If this is a solo project. Just a Thought.

Kathy

*****
Delaware - 6.5 lb/2.9 kg crossing Barred Plymouth Rocks and New Hampshires, nearly white, rapid growing, dual purpose fowl developed to figure into broiler crosses, with single comb and brown egg shells.

Faverolles - Standard: 7.5 lb/3.4 kg the 1850s of composite blood from the Houdon, Brahma, Crêve-Cour, Dorking and common fowl of the area. Some references have been made to the CouCoo and Cochin being used in addition. They make excellent back yard fowl and have a genteel personality. originally known for its table qualities. Density and mass of the bird are what should be looked at.

Orpington - Standard: 8 lb/3.6 kg; moderately early maturing; hardy; very cold hardy; good brooder; excellent mother; It was developed from Langshan-Rock-Minorca crosses. Developed as a dual purpose breed, Orpingtons make fair table fowl and are excellent winter layers of large brown eggs. Orpingtons have a deep broad body, the back appearing short with a somewhat concave shape. The head is neat with a single comb. Dark colours have dark eyes and legs, paler colours have red eyes and white legs. Chicks can take longer to feather up than some other breeds.

Sussex - Standard: 7 lb/3.2 kg; moderately early maturing; robust; very cold hardy; good brooder & mother; English heavy breed; famous as a table fowl and the cocks should weigh in at 9 pounds, with the hens reaching 7 pounds; One of the best of the dual purpose chickens, a good all-around farm fowl. prized as a table fowl more than 100 years ago; Sussex is one of the oldest breeds that is still with us today in fair numbers. Sussex go broody and make good mothers

Dorking - Standard: 6.5 lb/2.2 kg Dorkings were among our most common farm fowl prior to the Civil War. This position was maintained in New York and elsewhere into the 1860s and '70s. In a few localities, they remained a common production fowl well into the early part of the 20th century. Dorkings contributed to the development of many of our modern breeds. Even today, Dorkings retain their historic character, remaining perhaps the best breed for natural production that has ever existed. chicks delicate & slow to mature

Minorca - Standard: 7 lb/3.2 kg; excellent hot weather bird; combs subject to frostbite;early maturing. the largest and heaviest of the Mediterranean fowl. APA's Standard in Black, Buff and White, Males can reach 9 pounds and the hens 7 1/2. Utility strains of the breed were excellent layers of large white eggs. They are rather poor meat fowl because of their narrow angular bodies and slow growth. Minorcas rarely go broody, are very alert and fairly good foragers. Unlike the Leghorn, the Minorca is a dual purpose bird. This means that not only is it a good layer but it can also be used for meat production.

RIR / New Hampshire Red - Standard: 6.5 lb/2.9 kg robust; hardy in heat & cold; combs subject to frostbite; very early maturing

Plymouth Rock - Standard: 7.5 lb/3.4 kg; somewhat early maturing; Once common on the homestead, still popular in the backyard. crosses of Dominique, Java, Cochin, and perhaps Malay and Dorking. until World War II, no breed was ever kept and bred as extensively as the Barred Plymouth Rock. Its popularity came from its qualities as an outstanding farm chicken: hardiness, docility, broodiness, and excellent production of both eggs and meat. Barred Plymouth Rock was one of the foundation breeds for the broiler industry in the 1920's, and the White Rock continues to be used as the female side of the commercial broiler cross. dual purpose or general purpose breed and is a bird of graceful curves with a large compact body, broad back and breast, medium upright single comb, yellow legs and rich bay eyes.

Rhode Island White is a moderately-sized, completely white bird with the males weighing 8 1/2 lbs. and females 6 1/2 lbs. They have long, broad, and deep bodies which are carried horizontally, giving them an oblong and brick-like appearance overall. Their breasts are deep, full, and well rounded. Their heads are fairly deep and are inclined to be flat on top rather than round. Though some single combed offspring do occasionally occur, the breed is has been standardized only with a rose shaped comb. The historic laying ability of the Rhode Island White was respectable by all accounts, with one exceptional hen at the Mountain Grove Experiment Station in Missouri noted as laying 306 eggs in one year. Productive strains of this breed have been known to more typically lay in the 240-250 eggs per year range. They are reputed to be splendid meat fowl and excellent layers of winter eggs. Rhode Island Whites are pleasant, easy going chickens and would make an enjoyable addition to any family farm.

Welsumer or Welsummer - Standard: 6 lb/2.7 kg; moderately early maturing; economical eater; well adaptable to confinement or free range; lively, but not especially flighty; energetic; friendly; hardy; cold hardy; large dark brown egg, a rich deep flower-pot red brown, almost glowing. Although considered a light, soft feathered, nonsitting breed, the hens frequently do go broody. Welsummers are good foragers on free range. Black/red is the standardized color of the large form. Predominantly a utility breed, the breed is hardy and thrives under free range conditions producing good numbers of its dark brown, 'flowerpot' coloured eggs. However, although classified as a 'Light' breed and usually very active, their bodies are fairly large and the birds quite docile. Most people consider the colouring very attractive and reminiscent of a traditional 'farmyard' bird.

 

[Zookeeper9000]

I harvested some roo's this week. Thurs did a BO and a dorking. Dorking was smaller but tons of meat on him especially the breast.

Then Yesterday did 8 more roo's, BO, BR and crosses of these two breeds. They didn't look very big but seem to have an ok amount of meat on them.

I also harvested a Dorking/samatura cross, he wasn't as big as the others but of a size that he had to go. He had so much meat on his breast that even the Pet Taxi lady from down the road who was helping me was impressed and she does not impress easy. He was smaller than the others but just as heavy.

I have not cooked any yet but will let ya all know how they tasted.

I did have the lady that helped me harvest try the pithing, she was iffy on this but she tried it Thurs and said she just didn't know how she felt and that she probally wouldn't try it Saturday. Well on Saturday the first roo was hard to pluck not bad but not easy even with the plucker machine. But the next one was a little easier, the 3rd one she yelled I pithed it I had to of look at the feathers they are practically coming out without help.

I could not believe the difference in the birds with this method, even cleaning out the insides the lungs came right out with the rest of the stuff. I was stunned how much easier they were to pluck and clean. Also the carcass of the bird was like a limp noodle. It was so flexable it was almost like they were doing yoga. I could not believe it and would highly recommend you try it. The Pet Taxi lady who helped me said she will be using this method from now on and she has butchered for years. Just thought I would share that with you all.

I also got a mixed flock this year they were my first dhickens. I got them from a lady on here. They were 14 weeks old and where huge. The neighbors dog murdered all but one of them so I really can't tell ya how they are long term. But I was so impressed with them that I ordered 4 dozen eggs again and will be getting them as soon as I can move my arm after surgery. I had also got some Isa Brown/EE mixes and was really impressed with them as well.

Right now I have a BLK Orp roo in with 3 blk, 5 buff, and 2 BO/RR, and 1 blue cochin mix of some kind. Then I have 1 Dorking roo in with 5 dorking and 1 BR. I also have some kind of feather footed high haired blk roo in with 2 dorking/Samutra mixes. I just couldn't let the roo go as he is so sweet, but the hair doo was the cincher. Besides the hens needed someone so he was the choice. These will be my fun chicks.

Thanks for letting me share

 

[HenMamma]

I have all kinds of chickens, but I got the BO, BA, and Br because of their dual purpose-ness. I've not culled any yet, but plan to soon.

 

[TT]

I am starting a dual purpose flock with barred rocks (they are 9 weeks old today). I like their look and the fact that they were listed as dual purpose. I also have one of the all heavies specials from McMurray - has some br, bo, light brahmas, turkens and a few other breeds that are going to be butchered with in the next couple of weeks - they are about 4 mos old.