What precisely IS the definition of a "perfect dual purpose breed"?
I've seen a lot of folks talking about breeding "dual-purpose" birds over the years but seldom do I see a definition of what it's supposed to be.
As I understand it the dual-purpose chicken is the best compromise attainable of both a high-egg producing bird and a meat bird. Thus we'd want a bird that grows out quickly if not as quickly as the modern day Cornish crosses can do. It needs to attain a good size by no later than twenty weeks if it's to be slaughtered while still moderately tender. It may grow still larger at a year or even two years, but if it's hasn't hit market weight by twenty weeks it's value begins to plummet along with its feed conversion rate. Can't forget that because feed costs are THE major driver in the economic equation.
On the other side of the ledger our perfect bird needs to begin laying by no later than twenty weeks for spring hatched birds, the eggs should size up fairly fast to at least a large size, and it should lay...? How many eggs should a flock of dual-purpose birds lay in their first year? I maintain they should lay at least 200 eggs flock average per bird in their pullet year and if you can get to 250 without sacrificing the desirable traits in the above paragraph you've put your accomplishment squarely in the bullseye.
As I read the old poultry books and articles those birds did once exist. They never got as big (or even close) at twenty weeks as a modern day Cornish cross can by eight to nine weeks and they did it at a much poorer feed conversion rate. Even at 250 eggs in their pullet year that's nothing to write home about compared to a well bred Leghorn or modern day commercial sex-link, but still it was a pretty dang good rate of lay for the birds of their day. Putting all of that into a single bird that can reproduce itself without resorting to hybridizing would be quite an accomplishment.
If a bird that can meet all of the above requirements still exists today I can't find them. I hear about such creatures, but they are proving to be elusive so far. Which means that if they are ever to be someone will have to recreate them. And it will likely take a pretty fair size flock to do it I believe. That's a lot of expense up front for something that may well have a long delayed payoff.
For what it's worth Decorah Hatchery claims to have a line of Barred Rocks that can lay 250 eggs average in their pullet year, but I haven't personally seen them yet. Nor do I have any idea of what their growout rate and size is. I hope to order some for next spring and check them out for myself.
does nobody else farm chickens for food. i have a flock of 2 barred plymouth rocks ,2 rhode island reds,2 silverlaced wyandottes,1 new hampshire,2 aracaunas,2 jersey giants.
