Looking for beautiful Breeds

[Florida Bullfrog]

This looks like a French copper marans plus something else. Is it a marans/junglefowl cross? It is the roo I have, along with 2 hens for the chocolate colored eggs, plus others for "bird watching", a blue/red laced wyandotte, speckled sussex, prairie bluebell egger, & a couple of buff orpington for friendliness and egg production.

I doubt it has any maran in it. What it was originally hybridized with would depend on its source of origin and whether its of hatchery stock or not. The farm I got them from wouldn’t or couldn’t tell me. Leghorn is one possibility if it originates from Cackle. Old English game bantam is another, and is more of what I suspect. I can’t tell the hybrid eggs from old English game bantam eggs and when I had a OEGB flock I had to take care to keep the eggs separate when collecting.

Originally the first gen looked a lot more like miniature American games and I’ve been selecting them to conform more to the wild phenotype. I have another line I’m conforming to American game bantam show standards. I have threads on each project.

 

[Ruthster55]

For someone who never eats (or wants to sell) eggs but wants to have chickens for meat or entertainment? I would recommend:

- Meat - LeGrand which is a super-expensive Copper Marans or Slow-Growing Cornish Cross or Bresse or Plymouth Rock (caponize?)

- Entertainment - Phoenix or Jungle Fowl hybrid or South American Game or Old English or....just let them be chickens....strong baby fuzzy oxytocin factor.

 

[3rdtimesacharm]

I'm trying to think of different breeds I want to get. I don't want just 'normal' birds (leghorns, orpingtons or australorps, normal birds like that.)

Wishlist:
-Heat tolerant! I'll be living in AZ in a few years and I can't have the A.c. in their barn XD
- cold tolerant too because we will be in the part if the state that gets a little below freezing at its coldest
-Broody wouldn't hurt, love my phoenixes going brood and just increasing themselves without my help
- Pretty. I want beautiful birds, with variety in colors and 'extras

Hi!

I understand what you're saying. I ordered day olds from Meyer Hatchery back in June, and I wanted rare, or Heritage breeds. I was able to save a considerable amount (like $22) by just picking a few I knew I wanted, and the rest I gambled and left to chance with Hatchery Choice in different categories like RARE BREEDS, BROWN LAYERS, and ASSORTED RAINBOW CHICKENS (Chickens, not eggs). I live in NE Ohio and free range/pasture mine, so I ordered a heritage barred Plymouth Rock rooster, 2 Dominiques, and 1 Partidge Rock along with 7 random selections per Meyer's choice and I'm SO pleased. I wanted camouflaged chickens, and size was important. I wanted big birds. Smaller combs.

What they gave me in addition to my barred rock rooster, the Dominiques, and the Partidge is:
1 Blue Cochin (these are pretty rare since they don't breed true)
1 White Cochin
1 Welsummer
1 Barred Plymouth Rock
1 light brahma
1 SUPER FRIENDLY White Leghorn who's the family favorite!!
1 Green Queen which I believe to be a Faverolles/Ameraucana cross.
And they gave me 2 FREE buff orps because I signed up for the meal maker

Now, I don't know that I'd choose feathered feet, but I'm prepared for winter. I like chickens with rose combs, or pea combs.

My wish list goes a little like this:

Black Copper Marans
Faverolles
Chantecler
Red/blue Wyandotte (Is called something, I'm forgetting)
Frosted White Legbar
Buckeye
Penciled Rock
Swedish Flower Hen

The rocks are very durable foragers and consistent layers. White/buff birds are more easily spotted by predators, so while I like some white/light birds, I think having camo birds, and dark/black birds helps. My green Queen is solid black with a full beard and 5 toes. She's mistaken for a crow which helps deter Hawks.

Good luck!!

Good luck,!!

 

[AltonaAcres]

Swedish Flower Hens!!!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You don’t eat eggs?!

If you don’t eat (or sell-give away) any of their eggs, the sky is the limit!

If you don’t want to eat or sell any of the eggs, you probbly want a broody breed or mix.

I have more than one broody hen at the moment,with which I have been generous about letting them set eggs, but I can’t imagine not eating my flock’s eggs at least once in a while. Maybe not every day...but when I’m hungry....or when the chickens are hungry....scrambled in olive oil....

As far as beautiful chickens go, Phoenixes are close to the top of the possibilities.

Do you like hard-feathered or soft, floofy chickens? Those are like opposites, but I love both.

I think that soft feathers and feathered legs are incredibly cute, but I also admire the intelligence and self-reliance of hard-feathered Game-type chickens.

I have a few of each.

Soft-feathered peeps are cute and sociable, but need to be trained to go to the correct roost at night.

Game types need more individual housing....they are highly-intelligent but can get into chicken-mischief.

Feather type means nothing to me. I look more at patterns and colors than anything else. Meat quality comes afterwards.

I don't have an opinion about feathered feet, especially since I won't live somewhere constantly muddy.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

OP already has Phoenixes, I believe. I agree that they are stunnign!

Yep, I do. Including ones I'm not keeping, I currently have 22 and a half phoenixes

 

[Ruthster55]

I really think that your interest in not-eating or not-selling any eggs is important in your decision.

Never mind the modern hybrids like Stars or Comets.,

Regarding dual-purpose birds....

Most of the “heritage” breeds were designed in the 1800s-1920s as dual-purpose for meat+eggs. That would be Plymouth Rocks or any Leghorn or Spanish mixes.

Brahmas were developed as meat birds.

———-
I see OEG Bantams as highly intelligent, entertaining chickens

 

[black_cat]

Yep, I do. Including ones I'm not keeping, I currently have 22 and a half phoenixes

And a half?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

And a half?

I have a crossbreed that's half phoenix

 

[black_cat]

I have a crossbreed that's half phoenixView attachment 2368706

Ah, ok. I was very confused- 'how can you have half a chicken?!?'