Virginia

[finnfur]

...

You you definitely have to cook dual purpose birds at low temperatures and slow. We cook our roasters in covered granite pans at 300 for about 3 to 4 hours. The meat completely falls off the bones. They don't have very much breast meat but a lot of juicy dark meat.[/quote
Crock pot works great too

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

don't no a thing about pigeons but Barkel stock lemons are here.
http://www.whiteracers.20m.com/photo_19.html
Gee they are a whole lot more expensive than chickens- I hope they can carry a lot of messages in one trip

Thank you for info

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

I had to forget about all I read in Hobby Farms and Homestead books and magazines. I came to the conclusion they were all written by someone that had NEVER owned a chicken in their entire life. They were writing from other articles as reference written by people sitting in a big city condo or on a tropical Island beach writing from some research written by others writing from research with NO experince at all.
Here is MY list of my experiences and preferences.
These are listed by preference

Dual Purpose Chickens
1. ENGLISH Orpingtons
2. Bresse
3. Australorp
4. Barred Rock
5. Ameraucana

Egg layers
1. Leghorn
2. Barred Rock & Australorp (tie)
3. ENGLISH Orpingtons
4. Bresse
5. Ameraucana (pts for colored eggs)

Meat birds
1. Bresse
2. Cornish Rock
3. ENGLISH Orpingtons
4. Barred Rock
5. Australorp

Beautiful birds
1. English Orpington
2. Calico Cochin Bantams (feathered foot)
3. Ohiki (clean foot)
4. Phoenix & Phoenix Bantams (tie)
5. Ameraucana

Temperment
1. Calico Cochin Bantams (angels)
2. Ohiki
3. ENGLISH Orpingtons
4. Phoenix Bantams
5. Barred Rock & Australorp(tie)

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

I have had soooo many different chickens.
Every article I read said Rhode Island Reds. I had a RIR many years ago, a 4-H project.
I agree they lay eggs BUT not like a Leghorn. Even my Girl friend said they did not have as much meat on them as my Bresse did. So it can not all be me.
I can tell you through the winter the Barred Rock and the Leghorns never slowed down but those RIRs crossed their legs and shock their heads at me! The Ameraucana refused to get in out of the snow top houses and get inside where it was warm and dry.

I will continue on with my English Orpingtons they are my Dual Purpose loves the breeding stock is safe but their babies are up for grabs, sell or be eaten.

I can see my biggest mistakes,...I will be bringing back Cornish Rocks and Bresse for meat, Leghorns and Bresse for eggs and Barred Rock and Australorp for dual purpose. I have severe Asthma and can not handle them much without paying the consequences.
AND I plan to reintroduce Ohiki & Phoenix Bantams to my Calico Cochin Bantams for their beauty and temperment. They are also good at egg laying. I really miss my Ohiki and Phoenix and Phoenix Bantams. I really loved the BBR's, golds, silvers and the whites.

 

[cubalaya]

I had to forget about all I read in Hobby Farms and Homestead books and magazines. I came to the conclusion they were all written by someone that had NEVER owned a chicken in their entire life. They were writing from other articles as reference written by people sitting in a big city condo or on a tropical Island beach writing from some research written by others writing from research with NO experince at all.
Here is MY list of my experiences and preferences.
These are listed by preference

Dual Purpose Chickens
1. ENGLISH Orpingtons
2. Bresse
3. Australorp
4. Barred Rock
5. Ameraucana

Egg layers
1. Leghorn
2. Barred Rock & Australorp (tie)
3. ENGLISH Orpingtons
4. Bresse
5. Ameraucana (pts for colored eggs)

Meat birds
1. Bresse
2. Cornish Rock
3. ENGLISH Orpingtons
4. Barred Rock
5. Australorp

Beautiful birds
1. English Orpington
2. Calico Cochin Bantams (feathered foot)
3. Ohiki (clean foot)
4. Phoenix & Phoenix Bantams (tie)
5. Ameraucana

Temperment
1. Calico Cochin Bantams (angels)
2. Ohiki
3. ENGLISH Orpingtons
4. Phoenix Bantams
5. Barred Rock & Australorp(tie)

seeing the australorp and ameraucana on most lists. I am adding both back to my flocks. your last 2 lists should have included cubalayas

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

seeing  the australorp and ameraucana on most lists. I am adding both back to my flocks. your last 2 lists should have included cubalayas

Absolutely. You are 100% correct. Since I owned Sumatras and miss them so much. I had girls with spurs. And Inwant some from you towards end of Spring. When it is warmer. Your Cubalayas are from Cuba where they used Sumatras and Ameraucanas to make Cubalaya. They are beautiful and thank you for Pointing out the error of my ways. The thing is I really do want white Cubalayas for their beauty. I am still in search of White Sumatras. I know where to get te White Phoenix and White Phoenix Bantams. Yes everyone should know by now I wantto get a white project going.

 

[Woodsdweller]

ReMe

Didn't you get enough white stuff lately? You could always move up near the Great Lakes.. I hear they gots lots of white.

Oh.. you were talking birds...

My BOs, Bresse and Welsummers quit laying for a while due to the cold, but the RIRs have been steadily supplying breakfast material all winter. Welsummers and the new Welsummer/RIR crosses started laying last week. The BOs and Bresse are still being freeloaders.


If you get back into Bresse, keep me in mind if you have hatching eggs available.

 

[MistyMountain]

I got my order confirmation from Sand Hill

I put 5 delawares to finish out my order, just because everyone says they are so sweet. They are booked solid, so they are subbing Blue Orpingtons, which is absolutely OK with me!!

With any luck, the week of 5/10, I should have 10 Welsummers, 10 Mottled Javas, and 5 Blue Orps.

Hurry up spring?

 

[annabellaknits]

I got my order confirmation from Sand Hill  e

I put 5 delawares to finish out my order, just because everyone says they are so sweet. They are booked solid, so they are subbing Blue Orpingtons, which is absolutely OK with me!!

With any luck, the week of 5/10, I should have 10 Welsummers, 10 Mottled Javas, and 5 Blue Orps.

Hurry up spring?

That is too hard waiting lol

 

[canesisters]

Still waiting on my confirmation....