Question about the best breeds to buy?

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

Also White Rocks are good brown egg layers and good meat birds also

 

[ava123]

Thank you for all your suggestions, I didnt think though to ask which chicken lays the best tasting egg that is suitable for michigan winters? Thats really what matters to me

Ive heard that the darker the shell the better they taste, but Ive had some browns that werent that good. I like a good yolk taste, whats the best to get for that. Even if the production is lower that would be fine for me. Thanks so much!!

 

[HBuehler]

Quote:
WHAT? Delawares are on the list of one of the tastiest breeds of chicken to eat...they are very meaty and do lay nice big eggs nearly daily. We raise them for eggs and meat. But we also like all of the Rocks and RIR and RIW's for dual as well.All of these breeds do well in cold.Check out Henderson's breed chart it gives you all the info on each breed if it's cold hardy,how well it lays etc. Really there are so many you could choose from you may want a few of each

 

[bibliophile birds]

Quote:
as far as i can tell, taste doesn't vary by breed, but rather by what the chicken actually eats. for that great yolky, farm fresh taste, letting your chickens range on grass where they eat a good variety of things makes the best taste. the yolk will be more orange than pale yellow (like store bought). we're big on pasture raised organics on our farm so, naturally, i think those taste the best!

 

[bibliophile birds]

you also will want to look into breeds that are cold hardy and good winter layers since you are in Michigan.

some heritage breeds (and who carries them) that might work for that would be:

Chanteclers: Ideal Poultry, Purely Poultry, Nature's Hatchery.

Faverolles: most hatcheries

Orpingtons: most hatcheries

and, as others have said Delawares: most hatcheries

eta: the rarer breeds are hatched in limited numbers and for fewer weeks of the year, which is why, even when most hatcheries offer them, they can still be a bit hard to find.

 

[ava123]

Quote:
Yeah thats what I loove is the dark orange yolks..mmm yummy

so just letting them range freely in the yard will produce that? Any special kinds of feed or grasses? We want to raise them very natural, no chemicals or anything like that, were rasing chickens to get away from the "super"market, its just a start but hey in a few years we should be completley independant for our food sources. Eat seasonal!!!

 

[purelypoultry]

Give me a call and I would love to help you.

 

[PortageGirl]

Dual purpose are what most heritage breeds are because small farmers needed hardy birds that provide both meat and eggs. Layers are lean, not much meat but produce lots of eggs. Ornamentals are pretty to look at, period. Few ornamentals lay eggs very well, and aren't usually very meaty. They're kinda nice to have around though, eye candy IS nice!

Sex links are usually good layers, but lighter and are getting away from true dual purpose type IMO. They are cheap and easy to find and great layers though.

Buckeyes are great for winter because of their small combs and are good sized so they are fairly meaty... but they are not the very best layers. (still one of my faves though)

Rhode Island Reds are large as well, better layers, and ok in the winter but because they have largish combs, they can get into a little trouble in the winter. (always good birds though, usually worth the small risk)

Chanticlears are nice and large, bred for winter, and I 'think' pretty decent layers, I don't have personal experience with them though I'd like to try them myself one of these days.

Barred Rocks are also reccomended as has been said.

All this is why I like to have a mixed though not TOO mixed flock, variety will keep all your bases covered, but keeping them to a similar type means you don't have to make drastic accomodations for too many extremes of variaty if that makes sense.

Here's the best chart I know of when considering breeds vs needs, look it over, and see what you think. When you have decided on some possibilities, you can ask or look up particulars. http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[PortageGirl]

OH! I almost forgot! How silly of me!!

Happy to meet you! Glad you're here!

Hope you enjoy your stay with us!!

 

[txredneckmedic]

I personally love my black sex links. They lay good and are pretty friendly.