Heritage Breeds

[rhoda_bruce]

Thanks. I'm pretty much an old school girl myself.....heck; I would imagine to be addicted to poultry raising you almost have to be. It might be a consideration, if I should re-stock, when I feel my girls have given me what I expect out of them. My momma always trys to talk me into starting over with new pullets each year, but I would like my girls to reach 3 years old.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

love my Buckeyes

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Gotta confess to not having raised buckeyes, but I'm going to have to read up and see what all the attraction is about.

 

[joyous]

Glen at Sand Hill Preservation center is really committed to saving Heritage breeds. I am a beginner , but from what I understand is that they may not lay eggs as often but will lay for more years and won't get burnt out like the commercial strains. I have gotten some heritage breeds from Glenn , and have ordered more for spring! I feel like a part of history!

 

[gryeyes]

I want a Buckeye for my flock. Maybe two. I may have to break down and order some from MyPetChicken. Along with the Welsumer I want, too. Now you're talking Dominique? Lordy, this is really gonna make me the crazy chicken lady at work!

 

[nop169]

I also prefer the heritage breeds. We have played with several of them & find that yes they do lay slightly less than RIR or hybrids but still plenty of eggs for both our family & friends. We enjoy their beauty & personalities much more & most of the heritage breeds tend to be gentler & less aggressive. My heritage breeds also seem to be hardier with fewer medical issues. Why other than that? Well just to retain some genetic difference in the poultry world in the US. Maybe it is just my mindset - but the heritage breeds of poultry, sheep & cattle seem more hardy, have better dispositions & are better tasting than the current high production hybrids favored by the mass market.
I also have often thought what would happen if a virus strain hit the factory farming hybrids. If we all simply raise the fast growing hybrids & let our heritage breeds die out & there is some viral outbreak that affects the hybrids - what then? Genetic variation is a must have - not more aggressive antibiotics or hormones. Simply study nature & the evolution of animals by natural selection. Give me the slower growing, somewhat less production heritage animal raised in natural conditions any day over the mass market antibiotic & hormone enriched animal. It is better both mentally & physically for my family.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Quote:
In a nut shell....

They are calm and very friendly.

GREAT foragers (they are the best mousers on any farm, seriously).

They could care less if it's 15 below zero (unbelievably cold hardy). My 10 week old Buckeyes really didn't care that I had a heat lamp in their pen when it was 8 below zero.

Decent egg layers and fabulous table birds.

All in all .. my favorite breed for all round production. The only reason I keep other breeds right now is for eggs.

 

[MagsC]

I do like the idea of heritage breeds, mainly the thought of preserving and continuing on something from the past.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I might go ahead and check into it and help out with a little preservation later on, but I still feel that any chicken is valueable, if well kept and healthy. They all can take care of our families if we take care of them, so I can't fault anyone for getting their chickens by way of the hatcheries, nor can I even conceive of putting a cheap price tag on my current stock....although not for sale.
If and when I do it, it will be something I might not even be able to explain, but my reasons would be closely related to everyone's on this thread. I can understand your motives and I completely understand having certain attractions to particular breeds. I might even be able to lay claim to having a heritage breed right now........I mean you can't find araucanas at the hatcheries.....none that I am aware of.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I am partial to the Heritage RIR's. After years and years of raising/hatching utility RIR's I just feel the need that I could do more to help preserve the Heritage lines. I know I will have a lot of questions and will have to do more research to do this but we all had to start somewhere. I would like to start with a good line then learn how to cull unwanted/undesired traits/genetics to keep the breed true. I know that I will probably be overwhelmed at first but I can do this, I hope. I am now in the process of selling my current 11mo. old flock. I'm not going to rush them off though, just so I can get started on another flock. In fact I put the all of the 17wk. old pullets on Craigslist this week and they were gone the first day.