small farm breed

[yogifink]

we are starting a small family farm and will be starting our chicken operation this year and I would like some opinion on breed choice. we are looking for solid duel purpose breed that can tolerate the sc/nc heat in the summer.

our thoughts are to purchase 2 breeds to start. approximately 25 per breed, cull at 3 months and then begin a breeding program of our own when mature.

I want to go with 2 or moree breeds for multiple reasons: to wage successes versus failures per breed, different taste and laying pattern, perhaps altering egg color, and to add color to out farm.

I would like breds that can be easily sexed, if I had a choice.

Right now we are looking at Orpington, barred rocks, Dominique, welsumer. We would like to stick to heritage breeds if possible.

Thoughts?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

we are starting a small family farm and will be starting our chicken operation this year and I would like some opinion on breed choice. we are looking for solid duel purpose breed that can tolerate the sc/nc heat in the summer.

There are a plethora of chickens breeds to choose from! I suggest the following duel purpose breeds that can tolerate heat: Jersey Giants, Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Austalorps, Barred Rocks, Welsummers, Brahmas can tolerate heat as long as they have access to shade and water at all times,

I want to go with 2 or moree breeds for multiple reasons: to wage successes versus failures per breed, different taste and laying pattern, perhaps altering egg color, and to add color to out farm.Thoughts?

If you are only going to get 50 chickens maybe get 5 breeds and ten chickens of each breed so that you can see differences in 5 breeds instead of 2. When you say that you want to add color to your farm do you mean plumage color of the chickens or egg color? If you are looking for the latter then I suggest: Easter Eggers for green, blue, and pink eggs, Welsummers for dark brown eggs, Black Copper Marans for dark chocolate eggs, Add some different color varieties of leghorns for white eggs. Dominiques lay light brown eggs, Faverolles lay pinkish eggs, Croad Langshans lay a beautiful plum colored egg. If you are wanting lots of colorful chickens then buy as many different varieties as you can afford.

I would like breds that can be easily sexed, if I had a choice.

If you want breeds that can be easily sexed (at hatched I assume) then get sexlinks or autosexing breeds. The difference between the two is that if you buy autosexing breeds then the offspring will always breed true. The sexlinks will not breed true and if you breed a red sexlink rooster to a red sexlink hen the offspring will not look like the parents and will not have the same laying abilities. Another thing to consider is that you’ll either have to order new sexlinks after every butchering or make your own.
Cream Legbars are autosexing, lay blue eggs, and they might be a duel purpose breed. I think they’re also heat hardy. Good luck with the breeds you decide to get. I hope this helps.

 

[yogifink]

There are a plethora of chickens breeds to choose from! I suggest the following duel purpose breeds that can tolerate heat: Jersey Giants, Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Austalorps, Barred Rocks, Welsummers, Brahmas can tolerate heat as long as they have access to shade and water at all times,
If you are only going to get 50 chickens maybe get 5 breeds and ten chickens of each breed so that you can see differences in 5 breeds instead of 2. When you say that you want to add color to your farm do you mean plumage color of the chickens or egg color? If you are looking for the latter then I suggest: Easter Eggers for green, blue, and pink eggs, Welsummers for dark brown eggs, Black Copper Marans for dark chocolate eggs, Add some different color varieties of leghorns for white eggs. Dominiques lay light brown eggs, Faverolles lay pinkish eggs, Croad Langshans lay a beautiful plum colored egg. If you are wanting lots of colorful chickens then buy as many different varieties as you can afford.
If you want breeds that can be easily sexed (at hatched I assume) then get sexlinks or autosexing breeds. The difference between the two is that if you buy autosexing breeds then the offspring will always breed true. The sexlinks will not breed true and if you breed a red sexlink rooster to a red sexlink hen the offspring will not look like the parents and will not have the same laying abilities. Another thing to consider is that you’ll either have to order new sexlinks after every butchering or make your own.
Cream Legbars are autosexing, lay blue eggs, and they might be a duel purpose breed. I think they’re also heat hardy. Good luck with the breeds you decide to get. I hope this helps.

as for color, I was thinking plumage not egg color. however, it would be nice to be able to tell which breeds are laying based on color.

I want to stay away from sexlinks or crosses.

I like the legbars, but just looked them up on mpc, $18 a chick? Any leads here?

Maybe 3 breeds tops. origionally, i only wanted one. I like the legbars, then thinking welsumer and barred rocks.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

as for color, I was thinking plumage not egg color. however, it would be nice to be able to tell which breeds are laying based on color.

I want to stay away from sexlinks or crosses.

I like the legbars, but just looked them up on mpc, $18 a chick? Any leads here?

Maybe 3 breeds tops. origionally, i only wanted one. I like the legbars, then thinking welsumer and barred rocks.

It seems from the breeds you like that you have a preferece for birds that are not one solid color. Maybe get some speckled sussexes (I think they’re also duel purpose) and Brahmas Yeah the Legbar chicks are expensive on MPC and pretty much everywhere. When MPC first offered cream legbars they were $52 a chick

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

@yogifink what age do you plan on butchering the chickens? After their first year so that you can maximize the amount of eggs you get?

 

[Hamiam]

For layers, I'm a big fan of Barred Rocks. I've raised them for years. Mine have never had problems with the Texas heat. I gotten a lot of double yolk eggs & large eggs the first 2+ years of laying. I wonder if you can find a local BYC member that can sell you hatching eggs or day old chicks. I hope your family farm is very successful.

 

[yogifink]

@yogifink what age do you plan on butchering the chickens? After their first year so that you can maximize the amount of eggs you get?

Will age out I think in 2-3 years, not looking for super production, yet. Just enough for us and giveaways until we can get some regular buyers. Plan to have a regular breeding program and cull at 3 months, maybe 20-25 per quarter. Again, just enough for our family for now and giveaways to render some sales.

 

[yogifink]

It would also be nice to sell pullets to flocksters locally, so an attractive breed for small flocks is also on my mind.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

It would also be nice to sell pullets to flocksters locally, so an attractive breed for small flocks is also on my mind.

Maybe have a separate breeding flock for selling pullets. Maybe a flock of cream legbars, that way you can grow out the excess cockerels for meat.

 

[yogifink]

Maybe have a separate breeding flock for selling pullets. Maybe a flock of cream legbars, that way you can grow out the excess cockerels for meat.

that's the Plan! I'll separate by breed when we are ready. And, once my daughter is old enough, we are hoping to have her raise polish.