What do you consider your ideal flock?

[BoltonChicken]

I put in a vote for the Dominique! My great-grandmother had them shortly after the Civil War, and now they are semi-endangered and kind of hard to find. I want some to go with my BO's sometime in the near future.

 

[Jerseycoop]

Good luck with your research!

I have 3 RIR, 3 LIGHT BRAHMAS and 1 EE because she was so pretty and wanted some colorful eggs. Great topic!

 

[flowerchild59]

I want a good dual purpose breed giving me adequate eggs to sell, eat or hatch. I want to be able to cull and eat the roos and hens as needed. I want them to be a self sustaining flock and lay reasonably thru the winter. I am hoping that combs are not a problem, if so, I will get rid of that breed and maybe get some buckeyes too. I have decided on marans, sussex, and chanteclers. And a couple of EE's or ameraucuanas for pretty egg cartons.

 

[Jynx21]

The chickens were my daughters idea to begin with, we started out two years ago with 2 americanas, 5 lt. brahamas and 5 astralorps?(sp) discovered the hard way that coyotes and eagles like brahamas.
After trying some different single hens we currently have, 1 Americana roo, 1 Astralorp hen, 1 Cucko Marans hen, (2years old) 2 production Leg horns, 12 Jersey Giants 5 of which seem to be roosters:/, 1 Americana/astralorp pullet, 13 Marans/Americana chicks(3wks) and 1 leg horn/Americana chick. These are all out in the big pen together for now. we will be putting the Jersey's in their own pen when they mature so we can have a pure heritage flock. Last but not least 4 Bantam Cochin's that live in the garden. My family call me the chicken lady:cd
I guess my perfect flock would be right where I am with a couple less roo's.
My main desire for the chickens are eggs.

 

[harleyjo]

Quote:
You should really do some research on Delawares. I really think they are one of the best dual purpose birds from what I have read. I just love reading everybodies ideas on this!

 

[gryeyes]

I really shouldn't brag, but I think my ideal flock is the one I've got:

Mostly dual purpose breeds which I will never process for meat (I just like the way they look, nice big fluffy chickens with some heft to 'em), a spattering of bantam breeds because they're so darned cute, a few layer breeds that just happened along (Lakenvelder and Leghorns), and a whole slew of cross-breeds hatching from eggs about which the occasional hen developed a broody attitude. The roosters are all daddies and uncles and brothers of these offspring. Most chicks have several aunties, too.

A miscegenational flock. Short ones, tall ones, thin ones, fat ones. Lotsa different colors and color mixtures.

I'm no help, am I?!?!

 

[harleyjo]

Quote:
There is no wrong answer here!

I just like to hear how everyone feels!

 

[stuckinthecity]

For me, an ideal flock would include production birds- for eggs and meat, and 2 or 3 good brood hens to raise the dual purpose birds up for the table or pullets to replace older hens. An example would be: 2-3 game hens, and 6-10 large breed hens(Barred Rock, BO, RIR) and one large breed roo. That way you could tell which eggs to hatch so you wouldn't get abunch of game crosses that don't have much meat on them.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

My flock is fully assembled. Are mine all heritage? I think they are. There's a list in my signature. I love these but I'd love to add two Americaunas.

 

[RingedTeal]

Quote:
Mine is expanding with the following:
Light Brahma(4 pullets-1 cockeral)
Buff Brahma(1 pullet-1 cockeral)
Dark Brahma(1 pullet-1 cockeral)
and
Turkens(4 pullets-1 cockeral)