Where to get true Dual Purpose breeds?

[wood&feathers]

FYI there is nothing wrong with giving personal experiences with a particular hatchery, and giving contact info for Mt Healthy is easy, they are a sponsor here! Banner is at the top of my page right now.

However I have had no experience with them or any other hatchery yet. I only have 4 hens and a rooster, plus a rotating population of other folks' excess roos for meat. Driving tomorrow to visit a BYC friend and get 6 Marans chicks. Hatchery orders require more #'s, and I don't want to wait for spring chick days at TSC. Plus they won't have the varieties from Mt. Healthy I am considering - Partridge Rocks or Light Brown Leghorns.

 

[grendel]

Quote:
available in almost all hatcheries.

 

[wood&feathers]

PS - dual purpose is in the eye of the beholder. My family doesn't really mind if the carcass looks like a grocery store bird. We like brown meat better anyway. Thus far we really have liked Easter Egger roos for meat (they yield lots of pretty feathers for crafts too), followed by Plymouth Rocks. Since they are other folks' surplus we get them cheap or free after others have laid out $ to raise them. We only keep them for a few weeks.

Check out the Kentucky or Ohio threads on "Where are you..." forum here. As spring approaches there should be some get togethers where you can look around at what folks have. Plus it is fun to meet and talk - good even if you wind up going the hatchery route.

 

[mener6896]

I've had excellent results with Mt Healthy. However, I am getting ready to place an order with McMurray because I want cochins (which are awesome brooders) as well as americaunas (or easter eggers) my egg customers like the green and blue eggs, (Mt Healthy doesn't have cochins). I'm not opposed to hatcheries as I'm not super concerned with pure breds. I just like lots of pretty chickens and lots of eggs.