Help Me Decide on a Great Dual Purpose Homesteading Breed!

[Happy Chooks]

Buckeye's are great for all that too, except maybe hatching their own chicks. I don't have any buckeye's, but I've been reading up on them. I agree that Delaware's would also be a good choice.

ETA: I'm also wanting a good dual purpose breed, so I've been researching. But I don't need cold hardy - hot hardy instead here in CA. So far I've butchered Plymouth rock, and he had a fair amount of meat, just not huge on the breast meat.

Mother Earth News magazine has an article on this in the current issue.

Here's a summary of what they found: (excluding sex link breeds since you said you don't want those)

Best for egg size and productivity: Leghorns, White faced Black Spanish, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, Rhode Island Whites, Plymouth Rocks. Largest eggs from Jersey Giants, Australorps, Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds.

Quickest eggs: Red Caps, White faced Black Spanish, Anconas and Minorcas.

Best for natural incubation: Silkies, Aseels, Modern Games, Old English Games and Cochins.

Meat Quality: Cornish, Buckeyes, Rhode Island Whites, Orpingtons and Plymouth Rocks. Best flavor: La Fleche, Buckeyes, Dorkings and Cornish. La Fleche got the highest rating for taste.

Best overall breeds for everything: Rhode Island Whites, Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons, Australorps and New Hampshires.​

 

[grandads]

i tried that link all it gave me were adds

 

[Dora'smom]

The best early-developing dual purpose that I have are my Barred Rocks and my Buff Orpington. My Rhode Island Reds are great, too, but I think you already have those. My Australorp is beautiful, and lays very well, but I think it took her longer to get started, but it could have been the time of year. I hear good things about Dominiques, as well.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

But the thing is Mother Earth News magazine did that article with a breed that is next to imposable to find. The Rhode Island White... The Bird that hatchery call a Rhode Island White is not a true R.I. White. The body and comb is not even close. ( R.I. White's only come Rose Comb)

Chris

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Chanteclers come in several attractive colors, are a fine big bird for meat, lay nice large eggs and will go broody. They are friendly and good foragers as well as being hardy. They have a rose comb so yopu don't have to be so overly concearned with frostbite on the combs in the harsh winters. I think you would find them a exceptional choice for a dependable dual purpose flock. I two buff chantecler hens that are 4 years old now and are still laying. They are some of my most friendly birds

 

[Classic.rocker978]

Wow, I'm completely shocked at all of the responses... I would never have guessed this forum was so active!!!

A friend talked me into trying the Cornish Cross because they are supposed to be the BEST breed for meat. If I would have known that they cannot reproduce and have so many issues I would have probably stuck with a Dual Purpose Bird.

I do like my Production Reds.. They lay a big egg and they produce constantly. They seem to be just like a RIR except a bit less meaty.

Can my Production Reds reproduce and get good chicks or will they be a complete mut?

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I was considering Barred Rock, Rhode Island Reds, Delaware or Buff Orpington.

The more I read about the Cornish Cross the less I like owning them knowing how awful of a life they have been bred to lead.

I mainly want a breed that is friendly with children, is pretty quiet and calm. Preferably Non-Aggressive towards each other, I hate seeing them kill each other by pecking their butts out. Yet makes a Good hardy dual purpose bird.

I would definitely prefer a Heritage Breed. I want to know that if I was cut off from civilization that I could raise my own chickens and have them reproduce on their own. I dont want to have to buy more each year or two. I also need a more common breed that many stores such as "Farm & Home" would carry.

The Delaware is starting to look better and better but I'm still open to suggestions.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
I am in SE Arkansas. Hot and humid. The Buckeyes do great here. They are also excellent mothers. Some strains have been bred for non-broodiness, but the ALBC strain is bred FOR broodiness. To get true Buckeyes, you really want to get from a breeder with the ALBC strain. There are many on BYC.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Classic.rocker978 :

Wow, I'm completely shocked at all of the responses... I would never have guessed this forum was so active!!!

A friend talked me into trying the Cornish Cross because they are supposed to be the BEST breed for meat. If I would have known that they cannot reproduce and have so many issues I would have probably stuck with a Dual Purpose Bird.

I do like my Production Reds.. They lay a big egg and they produce constantly. They seem to be just like a RIR except a bit less meaty.

Can my Production Reds reproduce and get good chicks or will they be a complete mut?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I was considering Barred Rock, Rhode Island Reds, Delaware or Buff Orpington.

The more I read about the Cornish Cross the less I like owning them knowing how awful of a life they have been bred to lead.

I mainly want a breed that is friendly with children, is pretty quiet and calm. Preferably Non-Aggressive towards each other, I hate seeing them kill each other by pecking their butts out. Yet makes a Good hardy dual purpose bird.

I would definitely prefer a Heritage Breed. I want to know that if I was cut off from civilization that I could raise my own chickens and have them reproduce on their own. I dont want to have to buy more each year or two. I also need a more common breed that many stores such as "Farm & Home" would carry.

The Delaware is starting to look better and better but I'm still open to suggestions.

What it comes down to is, what do you want? There are many that would fit your need. What color do you like? I have Buff Orpingtons more for their color and temporment than anything else. Of course they are also very tasty!​

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think the Delaware would be a great choice around children, plus all the other requirements you have. Production Reds, I believe, have been bred towards egg laying and away from brooding chicks. Doesn't mean it won't happen, just not very likely. Orpingtons are also very docile and make great mothers, but I've heard that they aren't the greatest for slaughter. Java's are pretty rare, but they are supposed to be a great dual purpose for eggs and meat. The roosters get to a large size fairly quickly from what I've read about them. I've seen some auctions for eggs in the hatching eggs section here lately.

Chris......that's true. I think I've only seen 1 or 2 auctions for RI White hatching eggs here on BYC. It said they only took results from people who have raised chickens for over 3 years. I don't know the number of people they took results from, so like any news article, it could be slanted to a particular viewpoint. Like I said, I'm new to raising chickens for meat, and so I'm researching the heck out of it, trying to find my best option.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Here are a few to consider:
Any Cochin, standard size or bantam. They have a nice docile temperament and are good enough layers and can go broody. For big meat eating though you do want the large fowl.
Black Australorp, pretty much the same though I don't think they have as much tendency to go broody.
Delawares- because I keep hearing how wonderfully gentle they are and good for both eggs and meat.
Barred Rock, same as Aussies, nice brown egg and good temperament too.