Which chickens are best?

[cptkracker]

About 6 months ago I bought 10 wyandotte chicks which have been laying for a while which I considered a "mission sucess"

. After this test run I learned TONS about chickens, poultry and animal production as a whole. I'm now 16 and wanting to actually go "neck deep" with chickens. I want to expand my flock and I'm needing help choosing the which breeds. I would like your opinion as well as any credible facts.
I have two goals in mind-

1:Showing chickens for FFA and breeding them - I hardly have any preference over what show chicks i get as long as it has a high chance of winning and are easy to sell.

2:Egg production - I'm leaning towards Leghorn but i have heard bad things about their behavior and temporment. I would love some verification. I also wanted to know if white Leghorns were the best production wise out of the different varieties of if a red Leghorn is as good as a white Leghorn.

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

[rsf31tmp]

I just went to the Illinois State Fair and I would say based on that, to not go with White Leghorns! They had twice as many birds showing there as any other breed! I would stay away from Polish and Silkies as well.... I have SLW, like you, and mine are much better than what I saw there! I also have Barred Rock that are better than what I saw there. I only say stay away from those others, because they were very popular there.

If you are going Leghirn, I would go with the non-whites!

 

[bigchicken2]

Australorps! A Lorp hen set the record for the most eggs in a year (364/365) even tho they were bred to be a meat bird. They're docile and they can be shown in 4H/FFA. Also the roos are nice and won't attack. I have 2 Black Lorp roos and they're really sweet and cute.

 

[Mahonri]

If you want eggs, I would go with Ideal 236 or CA whites those are leghorn laying machines.
You could also go with Black Sex links. they lay tons of eggs.

For show, I'd get some eggs from a breeder; incubate and hatch and then show Wheaten or Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas. They are beautiful. ... and the blue eggs are nice too.

 

[punky rooster]

RIR for eggs but my favorite is the Buckeye

 

[muddyhorse]

do you want std or banty ? what part of the country are you in the suggestions for Montana are very different from FL. feather leg or not ?

 

[maggie b]

So where do people show their chickens? I keep hearing about wheaten and blue wheaten, can someone post a picture please?

 

[michickenwrangler]

Might want to try Red or Black sex links. Pretty, friendly and great egg layers!

 

[punky rooster]

http://www.greenerpasturesfarm.com/ameraucanachickens.html these are not mine I just googled it

 

[maggie b]

Quote:
Wow those are some BEAUTIFUL chickens