Hello... I just joined the site

[wec2it]

I am a city boy that has bought some property in the country and am looking to become more self sufficient and to live more healthy. I have a some questions about chickens... What is the difference between the chickens you eat and the chickens that lay eggs? Is there differences? I am sure these are simple questions to those of you on the site... But how else to find out then to ask? Thanks for your patience....

Jim

 

[JulieNKC]

Meat chickens grow faster and bigger, layers tend to be smaller and slower to mature, but lay more eggs. Dual purpose lay reasonably well, and will get to a decent size, but take longer than cornish x.

 

[peepblessed]

You came to the right place for all the answers you need! Welcome to the chicken family!

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio. So glad you joined. Good advice given.

 

[Jloeffler]

Quote:
X2
And

 

[chickensbythesea]

Quote:
Just to further explain that, a dual purpose bird means meat and/or eggs. A cornish x is a meat bird.

Be sure to check out the egg laying and meat chicken sections, there's a ton of really helpful people. Welcome to BYC!

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

Welcome aboard! If you are just getting started and interested in both eggs AND meat, a dual purpose bird may be the answer. I usually recommend Delawares, because they grow amazingly fast (they were the poultry industry's chickens before the modern crosses), and are good layers of huge brown eggs. They are active and curious, and can become quite friendly. The roos shoot up quickly, with lots of leg meat - perfect for frying. And they have white feathers and yellow skin, so they pick a clean attractive carcass.

Unless you grow Cornish X chickens, you won't really see big breast development in your homegrown flock. Backyard meat birds are chewier, and the meat is more flavorful.

Another dual purpose I recommend is the Buckeye (developed of course in Ohio). Buckeyes were selected by the Ark of Taste as being the best-tasting breed of chicken. They are docile brown chickens that are good layers of brown eggs. I ate one and it was pretty tasty, I must say. There are Buckeye and Delaware threads here you can check out for a further discussion of the merits and downsides of both breeds. Good luck to you!

Keep On Cluckin'!

 

[AZBootsie]

Looks like you got good answers to your question already.....so just want to say

 

[brahmakid11]

 

[kidcody]

from WA. glad you joined us