Starting fresh.... are RIR and Australorps "Heritage breeds?"

[grullablue]

Ok, so my egg eating leghorns have found a new home a couple of weeks ago, I have been updated with a couple of Emails, they are doing well, and she even sent me a pic last week...they seem to be mingling with her existing free-range flock nicely...I'm so happy this worked out!

It's been suggested that I stick with "heritage breeds" with my next batch of chickens. I'm not sure if I'll order or get them locally...it depends on what I can find, but we are hoping for fresh eggs again next summer. What exactly ARE "heritage breeds?"

The two breeds I seem to be quite facinated by (by pics and description) are Rhode Island Reds and black Australorps. Would these be considered Heritage breeds? And also.... although all the info I've read says they're quite friendly and calm, I'd love to hear it from people here who already have them.

If I get a few of each, could they live quite calmly together? I had originally planned on just straight RIR's....(maybe 8 of them), but I wouldn't mind replacing some of those 8 with black australorps just for a change of color!

Angie

 

[miss_jayne]

this link will show you all heritage breeds for just about any type of animal....

http://www.albc-usa.org/

 

[ghillie]

I have 3, Buff Orpington, Barred Rock and a Black Australorp. They are all freindly and get along quite well. The Rock is the most outgoing with the Orp being a little stand-offish with the Australorp somewhere in the middle.

 

[happyhen]

I don't know if this helps you, but I have 10 RIR's hatched the end of April, about 7 months old now. They are very sweet, calm, friendly and quiet.

I live in NE Ohio, do not heat or light the coop (9 hrs of daylight right now, mostly overcast). They seem to be quite tolerant to both heat and cold and (so far) very disease resistant.

They provide me an average of 8 large eggs daily.

 

[grullablue]

Hi,

Are you offering to sell your birds? Thing is, I'm in WI...and I wouldn't know the first thing about shipping adult birds! I'd love to find birds like yours, I have raised chicks, but I'd rather not if I don't have to. I've been looking local, for now or spring, but haven't found anything yet.......

Angie

 

[WoodlandWoman]

The heavy breeds are often calmer and more winter hardy than the lighter breeds.

Henderson's chart has lots of great information on breeds, including behavior:

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Ok, firstly - I love the donkey in your avatar - he looks like my little Blackjack.

(how many donkeys do ya have? I have 9.5)

Secondly... I have two black australorp hens and they are funny and very outgoing and friendly. They are treat begging babies, too

Definately my favorites of the laying hens I have right now. They lay an egg every day, also - they were born in mid march.

I am getting a couple of RIR monday from a friend's dad. I need them for my meaty experiment (got a delaware roo I'm gonna put them with til my other chicks - plymouth rocks and buff orpingtons - are big enough to put in with him to breed).

Her dad's rir are pretty friendly and low key. I have not had a rir before, I have had NH Reds, and they aren't my favorite breed at all (especially the roos - I would never have a NH Red roo again). But since her dad's hens seem to be so nice, I figured I'd try them out for awhile.

If ya want to get both, I'd say go for it, variety is nice, and this way you'll see if ya like them both or whatnot, also. I know one woman who has a flock of 50 black australorps - it is a pretty sight to see them all free-ranging out in her yard.

meri

 

[grullablue]

Meri your coop is BEAUTIFUL! (looked at your page!) I LOVE it!
We have three mini donks.... one a little one born in September. And some goats, horses...and other things!

Thanks for the info everyone! The links have been great! Wow...love that coop!
Angie

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
Thanks

I've been trying to talk myself out of yet another coop - trying to work with the four I already have.

Times are getting tough and building materials cost money

Money I would rather spend on more chickens

I have two mini's (and one on the way) and 7 standard (smaller standards, not the mammoths)

My baby mini (well, she is now about 7 months old) is the cutest thing I've ever seen in my entire life.

eta -- she was 4 months old when this was taken her name is Nutter Butter - Butters for short

meri