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GrumpynNaNa

GrumpynNaNa

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Just clicking in here. We have had chickens for just over a year. Five buff Orpington and one lavender Orpington we just adopted two black sexlinks and two aracaunas. We live in western Washington about 30 miles west of Olympia. Really 30 miles from Anywhere. We have enjoyed raiding are orps and eating fresh eggs. One question I do have is if anyone in our area could tell us what types chicken have done great in egg production and are good eating ?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
 
Hi :welcome

Glad you could join us here! Those are some lovely breeds yiuhave there. You sure can't beat fresh eggs, so delicious! Here are some state threads for you to check out ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=Washington+#
I'm sure you will enjoy chatting with other members from your area.

Good luck for the future and enjoy BYC :frow
 
Hi and welcome to BYC - thanks for joining us. I hope the peeps in your area will advise on what's the best dual purpose bird.

Best wishes
CT
 
Welcome to Backyard chickens, so glad you joined the flock
wee.gif
 
Welcome to BYC! It's great to have you.

I'm not in your area, but I do know a few good dual purpose birds. In my opinion you can only get real DPs from breeders who breed to the SOP these days. All other stock has been watered down into laying-only birds who are worthless for meat. Any hatchery Rock, Wyandotte, Orp, etc. - birds who should be good DPs - are scarcely a shadow of their former selves and useful for laying only. Exhibition breeders are the only ones who have kept to the old type designed for meat production as well as egg production. From a breeder, Rocks, especially White Rocks, are a good choice, as are Orpingtons. Sussex, Wyandottes, New Hampshires, Naked Necks, and Rhode Island Reds are pretty good too. Among others. For a DP leaning more on the meat side, Buckeye or Delaware. For a meat bird who also lays, Standard Cornish.

The one bird from a hatchery who is a somewhat useful DP is the Red Ranger. Awesome meat birds, but the hens gave me a decent 3-4 eggs per week a goodly amount of the year. Hatchery Naked Necks can also have some use, they haven't been horribly watered down yet and have maintained a stockier body.
 
Hey there, and welcome to Backyard chickens! I hope you enjoy it here! I have found, that if you get a dual purpose breed, like Queen Misha suggested, just buy St Run (don't have the chicks sexed) and then when the roosters are about 8 months old, eat them and let the hens lay for 4 years, and then I rehome them as pets. I can't stand to eat the hens after raising them for 4 years, because they become my pets. Have fun!
 

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