Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Fred's Hens]

Here at the homestead, we've just completed our three year long transition to 100% standard bred, heritage fowl. Sold the last of the ISA Browns on Friday night. The whole high pressure egg business end of things is dwindling down. The level of work vis a vis the small margins, at our age? Nah.

We also found that our standard bred Barred Rocks lay extraordinarily well as does one of the Rhode Island Red strains. Plenty good enough for sharing a few egg sales with friends, neighbors and long time customers. No regrets for having made the transition. A bit less is a whole lot more.

 

[gjensen]

Arielle, as you know, those decisions are not that simple. I have went through a process. I thought I knew what I wanted, but with time and learning, I have come to know better. Oddly, what I thought I did not want in a bird, is what I have come to want.
I have went through this with plants, but it is easier to collect plants. I like muscadine grapes and rabbiteye blueberries. At first, I just wanted them. Then I started to figure out which was better for what. I would think I had found the best one for me, until I found something better.
Twenty cultivars later, I have found that each has that one trait that seperated it, at least for it's time. None really being the best, but occupying it's particular role better than another. With a new cultivar always coming that is supposed to be better, and will be at one thing or more. Often at a loss of something else. Vigor for example.
Plants varieties are simpler because they can be produced assexually. The traits of a particular plant can be passed on over time. They can keep the strengths that they came to be known for. The randomness of animal breeding, means they do not always retain the traits that they had become known for. Also what used to be a good layer for example, is not what we would call it today.
I think in the end, and as we learn what we want and want to do, we end up where we end up. Sometimes a particular breed strikes our fancy in the beginning, and always holds our fascination. Sometimes the fascination changes in time.
Then, when you finally settle, you find what you think you want. Then you have to get it where you want it to be. Animal breeding is always striving for an ideal that is just out of reach.

 

[Arielle]

Yellow House, Fred, g-- thank you for sharing your experiences and wisedom.

 

[Arielle]

PRimary goals-- a chicken that can thrive in a farmsteading environment. Eggs must get deposited in a coop for collection and not a makeshift nest.( THough goodness knows the EE are good at doing this already.) I am willing to alter the available forage from closed canopy trees to grasses, shrubs, etc. Economical = production at the least cost, decreasing the dependence on commercial pellets and increasing foraging on the farm.

primary goal--
A. strong meat characteristics, all of the "dual" birds I"ve tried are NOT meat birds. For the effort of dressing a bird, I want a very good meat : bone ratio. ( SOme dorkings, a BO line, Reese's NH line, ALBC buckeyes are the ones I have ID'd so far as very good meat birds). Fast growth to coincide with the growing season of New England. ( I can't see how to maintain a large number over the winter months without a big investment in commercial grains-- which are more economical than I can produce. )
B. Eggs--For my own use I am flexible on size and color. I cannot keep up with 2 dozen eggs a day.
C. Cope with winter to summer swing and 2 rainy seasons.


I'm sure I have more. Need to put birds out in new pen. Need to think.

 

[Fred's Hens]

From your list of must haves, a lot of good breeds, even really good birds, wouldn't probably please you. Perhaps the cross of NH with the German strain would do the trick.

I can only speak about Rocks and Reds. The Reds are faster, but nowhere near as fast to maturity as the crossed New Hamps, from all reports. The Barred Rocks? The Reese line we have does nothing fast. LOL

 

[stoneunhenged]

I've worked with a number of heritage breeds and by far the best I've seen as free-range meat bird is the American Bresse. There are now many people breeding them in America and the hatching eggs are frequently on eBay.

 

[capayvalleychick]

PRimary goals-- a chicken that can thrive in a farmsteading environment. Eggs must get deposited in a coop for collection and not a makeshift nest.( THough goodness knows the EE are good at doing this already.) I am willing to alter the available forage from closed canopy trees to grasses, shrubs, etc. Economical = production at the least cost, decreasing the dependence on commercial pellets and increasing foraging on the farm.

primary goal--
A. strong meat characteristics, all of the "dual" birds I"ve tried are NOT meat birds. For the effort of dressing a bird, I want a very good meat : bone ratio. ( SOme dorkings, a BO line, Reese's NH line, ALBC buckeyes are the ones I have ID'd so far as very good meat birds). Fast growth to coincide with the growing season of New England. ( I can't see how to maintain a large number over the winter months without a big investment in commercial grains-- which are more economical than I can produce. )
B. Eggs--For my own use I am flexible on size and color. I cannot keep up with 2 dozen eggs a day.
C. Cope with winter to summer swing and 2 rainy seasons.

Have you considered Delawares?

 

[Arielle]

Continuing-- I plan to keep a pen of fun colored egg layers: OE, and EE. ANd I keep black copper marans. These will supply most of the eggs.

What am I missing for factors to consider??

 

[CFellows]

I've worked with a number of heritage breeds and by far the best I've seen as free-range meat bird is the American Bresse. There are now many people breeding them in America and the hatching eggs are frequently on eBay.

Can you tell us what qualities you like/dislike about these birds? I have heard good things about them, but to me they look like they would not have much meat on there bones. So I have been reluctant to try them. I would like to hear from someone who has raised/eaten them, but is not trying to sell me something.

 

[Arielle]

From your list of must haves, a lot of good breeds, even really good birds, wouldn't probably please you. Perhaps the cross of NH with the German strain would do the trick.

I can only speak about Rocks and Reds. The Reds are faster, but nowhere near as fast to maturity as the crossed New Hamps, from all reports. The Barred Rocks? The Reese line we have does nothing fast. LOL

I left out Kathi Imo's NH didn't I-- I bet those would be meaty.

So you are saying a cross grows significantly faster? NH x RIR? Or you mean german NH x american NH? THe Reese line I was thinking of was his meat bird line-- pure NH. I struggle with the comb issue, though after one winter here no rooster is likely to to have frost bite issues again.

I"m torn between how a very large structured bird grows and a smaller one. Like BO v. buckeye.