question about dual prepous breeds

[chickenbatsht]

Ok I know in a earlier post I went on pretty much about red sex link chickens.now I'm wonder what are the biggest and the highest egg producing chickens there are?. 2 would different types would be great cuz certin sites say this one is like 7 pounds for a hen and this lays like 250 - 300 egg per year or it's 8 pounds and lays the same amount or more and it's confusing as all get out..

 

[ChicKat]

Ok I know in a earlier post I went on pretty much about red sex link chickens.now I'm wonder what are the biggest and the highest egg producing chickens there are?. 2 would different types would be great cuz certin sites say this one is like 7 pounds for a hen and this lays like 250 - 300 egg per year or it's 8 pounds and lays the same amount or more and it's confusing as all get out..

You will definitely love Golden Comets if you are looking for eggs.

For your search for dual purpose breeds, the classic 'old time' breeds like Rhode Island Red (RIR), and Barred Plymouth Rock(BPR) are the one's that our ancestors in the USA raised. You could also google 'dual purpose chicken breed'. Sometimes folks say that the Black-sexlink - RIR rooster over a BPR hen will have the hybred-vigor that boosts the egg production, but weighs in at a heavier weight than the Gold sex-link. The Black sex-link is a very pretty bird IMO and you shouldn't have any surprise roosters if you go the sex-link route.

Now, back in the day--- homesteaders ate any chicken. My dh's grandmother would select a white leghorn to feed her family--because she had over 100 of them. So tastes and times have changed. If your interest is chickens for the table..a purely meat breed may be what you are looking for. Amazingly the slaughter age of meat chickens is very young. Older chickens toward the end of their life tend to be tough and stringy, from what I hear.

Hope this helps a little -- and maybe you will get some good advice from others on the forum. Welcome to BYC. Once you have chickens you will love it.

 

[chickenbatsht]

sadly I know about all of those and from what I have seen on the net they are not big birds and their laying is average at best I'm looking for big meat birds that can lay at lest 250+ eggs the only one I have heard of that seems consistent in description on most sites is the black australorp I already know about sex link and was looking into the golden comets only draw back to them is they are red sex link (hybrid) birds who if breed together wont produce white male chicks and red/buff female chicks (sorry I still dont get why they cant I mean if I take a labradoodle and mate with another I'll get a labradoodle) so I'm not leaning towards hybrid or sex link chickens atm but will most likely later on.so any breed that aint hybrid would be great and a run down on adult size for male and female,egg production and egg size would be great! oh and if they learn towards broodiness.

 

[salt and pepper]

the black austrolorp is amazing. barred rocks lay around 240 eggs a year, and the hens are over 6.5 pounds. sussex are also a good bird, hens weighing at 7 Ibs, and laying an average of 250 eggs a year.you could also look into rhode island whites, not as common as the reds, this is a completely different breed. they are great layers, at a good weight, you could also look into turkens.

 

[pastorwalt]

From My experience Plymouth Rocks (of whatever color), Orpingtons, or RIR will fit your criteria
Actual weights and egg production will vary from strain to strain.
So it's best if you can know the stock

"if I take a labradoodle and mate with another I'll get a labradoodle"
not really. The first cross is very consistent.
When you breed back two crossbreeds many of the offspring will
favor one or the other grandparent in various ways.
Because what the original cross had one gene for, the f2's can get a double dose or none of

Red/silver being sex linked, throws a whole new monkey wrench in the works
all the girls get their color from their Father.
If he, being a cross, genetically has both colors, some will be red, some silver.
Walt

 

[3riverschick]

Ok I know in a earlier post I went on pretty much about red sex link chickens.now I'm wonder what are the biggest and the highest egg producing chickens there are?. 2 would different types would be great cuz certin sites say this one is like 7 pounds for a hen and this lays like 250 - 300 egg per year or it's 8 pounds and lays the same amount or more and it's confusing as all get out..

Hi , You've got a lot of good info here. Come on over to the Heritage Large Fowl thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/400344/heritage-large-fowl-thread/10510
It is one of the finest threads on BYC. You can learn all about the breeds mentioned and compete your search for the large, good egg layer you are seeking. It is learning thread. No flame, like all of BYC. Some of the most elite veteran breeders hang out there ready to not only help you figure out the rbeed you want...but help you find top stock with which to start out. It's a very special resource. Usually, the best egg layers aren't over 7 lbs. in the females . In many of the Heritage breeds, both male and female make good eating! I look forward to seeing ou there.
Best Success,
Karen in frigid western PA, USA

 

[chickenbatsht]

walt regardless of if a pup from a labradoodle x labradoodle takes on different traits of one of the parent breeds or a f2 it's still a labradoodle regardless of how much or how little is in it. same with f2 golden coments the only thing is they cant be sex linked like f1's a it's like a pot bellied pig is still a pig regardless of size colour and name.and thanks for the info 3riverschick!

 

[pastorwalt]

I'm a dog breeder. I have opinions and ethics related thereunto
sorry for wandering off topic

 

[chickenbatsht]

I'm a dog breeder. I have opinions and ethics related thereunto
sorry for wandering off topic

dog breeder or not if a labradoodle matess with a labradoodle then wth is the pup a mutt? sorry the parents are already mutts thnx to "desinger" dogs breeders they are concidered a breed how stupid to say the resulting pup is not really a labradoodle x labradoodle=labradoodle wither or not it looks or has the traits of it mother and father it is still a labradoodle.

 

[ChicKat]

dog breeder or not if a labradoodle matess with a labradoodle then wth is the pup a mutt? sorry the parents are already mutts thnx to "desinger" dogs breeders they are concidered a breed how stupid to say the resulting pup is not really a labradoodle x labradoodle=labradoodle wither or not it looks or has the traits of it mother and father it is still a labradoodle.

Remember..... chicken genetics and dog genetics are different. I think that since your original question was seeking sex-linked chicks, the people advising you were explaining that the magic trait of sex-linkage only applies to that very first generation of chicks.....The offspring of those sexlinks get genetic mixes. It is quite a complex science.

If you want to raise your own chickens generation after generation, you may want to look into an 'autosexing' breed. These genetics perform as you were expecting the sex-links to perform. At hatch time, you can tell the hens and cockerels right away.(Like sex-links, except the differentiation remains through future generations.)

This link came up on a google search:
http://www.harislau.info/autosexing-

As you can see from that, these chickens are rather rare, and thus are pricey. For my needs, I have selected Cream Legbars-- autosexing, blue-egg laying, and all around nice chickens, thus far...but they have only been imported to the USA since 2011. Because these birds have such a high value, you may want to think twice about raising them for eating. But most chickens have an excess of cockerels, and so you could raise the males to table weight and then eat them. Especially since you said you wanted around 4 in your flock, if I remember correctly.