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

[ChickenCanoe]

I wouldn't add any leghorn or other strictly egg breed to the mix. The only exception would be Minorca which are a big bird laying very big eggs. Otherwise it would be so tough to get them beefy again and there are plenty of excellent laying heavy DP breeds.
Good choices are Australorp, Delaware, Faverolle, Jersey Giant and Lamona - all big birds and excellent layers. My Jersey Giants rarely miss a day laying.
For heat hardiness you could add in Catalana.
I'm raising black Penedesencas - a DP bird with excellent flavor and lay very well. I'm getting about 90% lay rate and they're fairly heat hardy.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
There are very few if any true Lamona around anymore.

Chris

 

[Lordofchickens 86]

i started with a mutt rooster which was a leghorn rhode island red.his son is a orpington rhode island leghorn gentics guys. it is not going to be the same mix breed be cause i bred back to rhode island. the cockel is 4 months old and as big as his mother.
i understand that everyone doesn't want the same things out of there flocks and projects on breeding.good luck on your chicken adventures.

get some KFC for me. I love my flock of American breeds and my two aracaunas. They are the best of the Gallus gallus species.

 

[Lordofchickens 86]

why is there not a thread for breeding daul purpose breeds

 

[eggdd]

i like the idea of having a dual purpose thread.

i've noticed there seems to be a common idea that crossing breeds is the way to go to get a good DP bird. why is this? isn't there simply one pure breed that ranks as excellent in the DP area?

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
There are many, many "pure" breeds that make nice dual purpose breeds. . . that's what they were made to be, not just show birds...
Mitch

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
There are many, many "pure" breeds that make nice dual purpose breeds. . . that's what they were made to be, not just show birds...
Mitch

I agree with Mitch, there are "pure" breeds that make nice dual purpose breeds.
I would say all of the American Large Fowl Breeds and most if not all of the English Large Fowl Breeds will make good dual purpose fowl.

Chris

 

[DMRippy]

I saw an accident bird that was the biggest breast I have ever seen. Hubby said he was about 10 lbs and all meat! He was full grown so I don't know how big he was at say 4 mths but I am going to find out. We are going to try this in a few months. He was a cross between a Plymouth rock and a Marans, huge and colored eggs to boot! I am hoping the rock will increase the number of eggs, the Marans will still contribute the color to the eggs and some size too and the roos will be huge for the bachelor/growout pen.

I have a huge plymouth rock girl (splash) and a nice splash copper marans so in the breeding pens they are going to go, when the breeding pens are done. Should be some pretty birds too, my have to throw the Blue or Black copper in the mix if I don't like the egg color. I am sure the feed conversion will be awful! But if I can get some pretty eggs to sell or eat that should pay for the feed.

 

[Lordofchickens 86]

i just want something you can,t get from hatcheries i have been working on it for 3 years now and have 2 strains going. good luck on your chicken breeding adventures everone

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
I'm doing that, too, with my S.O.P Buckeyes.