Is anybody else trying to breed the perfect dual purpose breed.

[kathyinmo]

A.T. Hagan :

If a bird that can meet all of the above requirements still exists today I can't find them.

Honestly, I think some of the Delaware strains meet those requirements. They are great layers, though I can not attest to any specific number of eggs to expect. Some strains are broody, others not so much. I think the only time mine stop laying are when they molt. I just butchered several 22 wk old Delaware cockerels, and though I did not weigh them, I will say their processed weight was more than I had expected.​

 

[gjensen]

There is not a perfect dual purpouse breed, because what we would all call perfect would be different. Also different breeds fit different managment styles better. I believe that there is a breed that fits most styles and preferences now.
I believe that New Hampshires, Delewares, fit a more all in and all out style. The cockerels floor raised to maximize their potential for early maturity, and quick growth. The hens are not "built" for long term layers. I think they are best as two year free range layers. They are a more modern breed and fit more modern methods. They can be selected to be great layers, and the cockerels are good fryers.
Old Rhode Island Reds are better for someone that is more concerned with good long term layers, potentially being productive for more than two years. The Rocks likewise, both having more length.
I am interested in birds that reproduce their own. The Rocks and Wyandottes seam to be more reliable broodys. Personally I would prefer Barred Rocks, and I am interested in Dorkings. Dominiques fit that bill to. All of them, being good old time farm fowl.
Catalanas are supposed to be a dual purpouse fowl and should handle heat well. Birds can be selected for a tolerance of heat, but it seams to me that the ability to withstand heat is related more to the body type. The original breeders of the breeds that we have knew what they were doing.
I am commenting, because I believe there is a real need to put the breeds we have back to work. I believe that we should breed to the standard, because the type is what made the birds useful. I am no fan of the exaggerated traits that you see in some of the exhibition fowl that we see now.
If I did intend to work on something new, I would do as Saladin suggested and add games to the mix. Can't argue with the vigor that many of them have. Still if you are breeding for heat tolerance the birds will get lighter and longer. Meat and early maturity and you will see them get shorter and broader. Go to far in that direction and you will start loosing laying type. I think that you will find that shape and type in a breed that we already have less maybe a color variety that we might prefer more.

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
very well put.. in the past our NH hens have been great for the longterm... heck I think my mom still has one that's 5 or 6, and still lays pretty regularly... Our NH have been broody devils as well..

personally, it's my belief that a standard large fowl cornish roo, when mated on average ole ordinary DP hens is the way to go.. Why not take full advantage of heterosis, and maternal/ terminal aspects... the other industries do it all the time.

keep the eggs coming from mama, and the meat from daddy... and feed the babies... and eat them... We've got several Cornish cross projects going on right now, as well as mostly staying Pure cornish...

 

[Lordofchickens 86]

i am using barred rocks,new hampshires,rhoode island reds,jersy giants for one strain and wyandottes, aracaunas, for the other.it is not a big deal for me to have longterm egg laying because i change out hens ever 2 to3 years i make stew. i know breeding mutts is looked down upon. just working on something that is for my climate, pretty, lays well, tastes good and is big.thanks for your comments.

 

[gjensen]

Quote:
I don't think that it would be looked down upon my most. It shouldn't. What are we supposed to be preserving? In part genetic diversity. Then diversity should be encouraged. I would like more to select pure breeds to be productive and keep the type, however.

 

[Lordofchickens 86]

the thing is if backyard poultrymen an women keep buying from hatcheries the breeds will still be there.2 springs ago i told the owner of my local feed store about jersy giants and that they where a rarer breed sure enough last spring he ordered about four hundred of of them twice.last spring he told me that he sold more chicks then he had ever sold.and my family has been doing buying feed and livestock supplies for 13 years. keeping backyard flocks is alive and growing well in north east centeral Florida.

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
There is a large (literally) difference between the birds that you speak of, and the ones gjenson speaks of. . .
I also a agree with gjenson's other posts, there is no "perfect" dual purpose breed, many were created to specialize in certain things: Take my Buckeyes as an example, they were created to be a large dual purpose breed that could forage very well. They're perfect for what I want.

 

[draye]

Check out my project:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=515811

 

[sebastopol]

Some spanish dual purpose breeds: Euskal Oiloa (Basque breed),

Pedresa,

Pita Pinta Asturiana,

Extremeña Azul

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Yep, and to prove the point further, they're not what everyone else, like me wants. Some of us want more color, or a different colored egg, or a faster growing bird, or whatever. There is indeed no such thing as the perfect one.

But I do think a thread on people's progress and opinions on their ideal dual purpose mix/hybrid/modified version of a breed would be excellent. I know there's a slightly similar thread in the meat birds section, but one on dual purpose birds here would be great. I myself am working on several side projects, some which I'd love to talk about. I love my purebred Araucanas, but I also love my project mixes even more when it comes to meat/eggs.