Heritage and eggs

[thedeacon]

I may get started in meeting breed standards. It appears many of the chicks breed to standard do not have the egg laying ability of the production lines. Can I accopmlish both. If so do I use a roo bred to standard or should the hens be bred to standard? I do want the egg production but would also like to meet or come closer to meeting breed standards. I'm considering RIR, BO Wyandottes.

 

[Krys109uk]

Ah, the Holy Grail of breeding decent chickens.

To have the qualities for which the breeds were originally developed & to have birds which conform nicely to standard.
I know a lot of breeders try to attain both.

I think keeping detailed info about each bird; trap nesting to get details of egg numbers, egg size shell quality etc. are helpful.

I have an excellent book which goes into this subject in some detail, 'The Complete Poultry Book' by W.Powell-Owen (Cassell), It was first published in 1924. It is probably available on the second hand book searches.
Or one could try 'Poultry Breeding & Genetics' Crawford (Elsevior) which goes approaches topics from the genetics point of view.

 

[cybercat]

If you do not want to show then stay away from the show lines except for bringing in new blood. Start with hatchery or find a breed on ALBC and get some from them. You might find a breeder here on BYC that is breeding up also in those breeds. Keeping production while improving the body is very doeable. The problem with show line chickens is that most of them are breed not to be productive so that they can be shown longer. So as you can see they would not be good to start with if you are wanting to go the heritage non show root.

Certain hatcheries are better than others in certain breeds. Make sure to study and read alot on the back posts of the breeds you want to find the better ones. I would say MM and Ideal are not the best option for being closer to the standard on their breeds. Privet and Ests I know gets their chickens from breeders and they have some real good reports on some breeds. I think Meyers and Mt Healthy also do. You will find the smaller hatcheries have better quality. Sands poultry in NC is a member of the ALBC and would be good. You also have Sandhill but you must order very early from them for they sell out fast. Good luck and know you are not alone.

 

[BamaChicken]

I had some very nice show quality RIR's that were excellent layers and would go broody too. I would be interested in others experience

 

[speckledhen]

I can attest to the fact that Julie's RIRs are gorgeous, huge, deep dark red and lay like gangbusters. I have three of them myself and sold one awhile back to rooster-red and she has gone broody this year. They lay almost every day.

I have a Delaware hen from show/exhibition lines who is an excellent layer as well.