Hello everyone! Whats the best chicken to raise for egg and meat ?

[heatherm1223]

Hello everyone! I have a few questions about raising chickens.. I know very little, well actually I know NOTHING about raising chickens. I am moving to a beautiful farm house in the country and would like to try my hand at raising chickens. I found this site and thought this would be a good place to start. I am going to try and start my hand out with just one or two chicks and then see how I can go from there. I am curious as to which breed would be the best for me. I would like to be abel to eat the eggs, but then after the chicken is full grown I would like to use it for meat. I've seen alot about one or the other, but is there a chicken that is decent for both, or would I have to get one breed for eggs and another for meat. Any information or help that anyone is willing to give me would be GREATLY APRRECIATED!!!! Thanks! )

 

[paddock36]

Rhode Island Reds are a great layer and if you are going to start with chicks you could buy St. Run and keep the extra roos for meat. They are a dual purpose breed. When I first decided to get some chicks I got 3 Rhode Island Reds, a Barred Rock, Golden Comet, and a Buff Orphington. The Comet started laying first, then the RIR's. The Buff was the only one that went broody and was the quietest. OH, and by the way

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

For meat & eggs, hmmmm........ Ready? Buff Rock,Barred Rock, Partridge Rock, White Rock, Black Australorp, Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshire Red, Sussex, White & Buff Orphington, Jersey Giants,Brahmas, Delaware, Cornish, Wyandottes, Easter Eggers, Sex- Links, Cochins, Langshans, Marans, Dominiques, On & on & on &........

 

[heatherm1223]

wow I didn't really realize that there were that many choices.. now how do all of those chickens fair in colder weather.. I live in illinois. I would of course make them a little home to be in but I don't want them to die on me.. ) and also I have no idea what broody means.. )

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Most, if not all do great in cold & hot. I lived in Pekin, Il. as a kid, & we raised Buff Orphingtons & Dominiques with no problems. I remember a Buff hen with chicks running around in the snow.
Ours lived in the barn with a few cows, pigs, & horses. Along with the hay, it was plenty warm.

Broody means they WANT eggs to hatch. They hardly leave the nest.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Rocks would be a really good breed, barred rocks are really popular and great birds!