I want eggs and meat so......

[Rancid Crbtree]

I want a very large and meaty bird to eat that is also a good egg layer breed. All i read about dual purpose birds is that they are normally good layers (hens) but even the roosters are not that big and you have to feed them for at least 6 months or more so which are the big meaty birds that lay lots of eggs.

 

[nuthatched]

There's not really a such thing. There's either high egg production or high meat production, most dual purpose birds are right in the middle.
Wyandotte, red broiler might be close to what you're looking for.

 

[UrbanHomesteadTX]

I just started raising Leghorns, they are excellent layers and great meat birds too! My rooster is absolutely massive, not sure exactly when they reach a good size, but so far my experience is that they grow and mature very quickly (I'm able to sex them at 3 weeks and they're fully feathered at four weeks). My hens lay large and extra large eggs daily. You might take a look into them, I'm loving these Leghorns

 

[The Moonshiner]

I just started raising Leghorns, they are excellent layers and great meat birds too! My rooster is absolutely massive, not sure exactly when they reach a good size, but so far my experience is that they grow and mature very quickly (I'm able to sex them at 3 weeks and they're fully feathered at four weeks). My hens lay large and extra large eggs daily. You might take a look into them, I'm loving these Leghorns

You sure they're leghorns? I have a few and they are far from good meat birds.
If I was looking for something close to both I'd look into Bielefelders.

 

[UrbanHomesteadTX]

You sure they're leghorns? I have a few and they are far from good meat birds.
If I was looking for something close to both I'd look into Bielefelders.

Yea, they're Leghorns through and through. The males are known for getting up to 7.5 lbs. I know they're not as great for meat as other chickens, but my understanding is they're pretty decent.
But, I also admit I'm still a bit new to this, I raise them more for the eggs and cant keep the extra roosters long enough to butcher myself (city livin and all) , but I do have a guy that buys them from me for meat, and he likes them.

 

[Sally PB]

If I was looking for something close to both I'd look into Bielefelders.

I love mine! They're for eggs only, but if I needed to take them for meat, they'd probably do well for that.

They're my friendliest birds too, if that kind of thing matters to you.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yea, they're Leghorns through and through. The males are known for getting up to 7.5 lbs. I know they're not as great for meat as other chickens, but my understanding is they're pretty decent.
But, I also admit I'm still a bit new to this, I raise them more for the eggs and cant keep the extra roosters long enough to butcher myself (city livin and all) , but I do have a guy that buys them from me for meat, and he likes them.

I think even my super big male a few years ago was a far cry from that. Probably closer to 5 pounds max live weight, if not even less.

 

[Gax000]

I agree with the others. Leghorns don’t get much bigger than 5 pounds and are pretty scrawny compared to other breeds.