HELP!! Chanteclers, Faverolles, Buckeyes or???

[Apehuntress]

I am a first time chicken shopper interested in a dual purpose breed with good meat traits (fast maturing, thrifty). I've done my homework and am mainly interested in Chanteclers, Faverolles, and Buckeyes. I live in Northern North Dakota and it gets COLD (40 degrees blelow zero) here so I need a cold hardy breed and just generally hardy. I also want to free range them so I need chickens that can fend for themselves during the day. Does anybody have experience with these breeds? If so, how do you like them? Any other suggestions for a cold hardy dual purpose breed?

Do different breeds have different tasting meat?? I've read that buckeyes have more and darker dark meat.

Thanks for your help!

 

[dancingbear]

Here's a chart that may help, and it has links to sites where you can read more about the breeds you're interested in. The chart also has some info about what environments the various birds are best suited for. The three you've selected are all cold hardy. So are Dominiques, another breed you may want to look into. If you get a lot of wet cold, snow, or ice, Favs may not do as well, because of the fancy feathering.
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

Buckeyes sound like great birds but I think the other two mature faster. I've go for the faster ones, but maybe get a few buckeyes, too.

Every breed I've had has done well free ranging, except Cornish X broilers, which I don't think I'll ever raise again. I haven't had the three you mentioned, but they are among breeds I've been reading about, and planning to acquire when I can.

 

[shelleyb1969]

I was in the same position a few months ago, Apehuntress. I ended up choosing the Delawares. They're fast growing, friendly, good foragers, and dual purpose. But the fact that they are listed as critical on the ALBC list was what sold me on them. Check into them as well.

 

[shelleyb1969]

I was in the same position a few months ago, Apehuntress. I ended up choosing the Delawares. They're fast growing, friendly, good foragers, cold hardy, and dual purpose. But the fact that they are listed as critical on the ALBC list was what sold me on them. Check into them as well.

 

[chantecler]

HI Apehuntress

if it's not too late, I recommend Chanteclers!
I have 17 of them and they are very very winter hardy!!
I get miserably cold and damp where I live (can go from -25 C to +5 and rain back to -25 C in 24 hrs) and my birds are doing awesome. They are laying like there is no tomorrow, and thye like being outside even in the cold. To top it all off, the extra roos are very very tasty!!

Hope this helps!!

n:_)

 

[DollDoctor]

Apehuntress,
I am trying to make the same decision! Only I have narrowed it down to Chanteclers, Delawares and Buckeyes. I was leaning toward the Delawares, but they have a single comb, and I'm worried about frostbite here in NH. as of now I am really leaning toward the Buckeyes, because of their reputation as great foragers. The more they hustle, the less money you have to spend on feed! Let us know what you decide!