Which dual purpose breed do I want?

[gryeyes]

Light or Dark Brahmas are supposed to be great layers in the dual-purpose category. I have one chick, but she's my first in that breed, so I cannot tell you how friendly she will be as an adult.

I love my BR and BO hens, as well as my Australorp. Heck, I love 'em all. I wouldn't eat any of mine, but the Golden Lakenvelders are the only ones I have which don't look like they'd offer that much meat. Everybody in my signature lines are good, hefty chickens. (The bantam Cochins and Sebrights are still chicks, and probably wouldn't be good eatin', either.)

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do you pluck or skin your birds? If you skin them, it does not matter, but if you pluck, a lighter chicken like the Delaware or Buff Orpington will give you a much prettier carcass. All the birds leave pin feathers when you pluck them. You can see the pin feathers left from the darker breeds like Australorp, New Hampshire Reds, RIR, Speckled Sussex, such as that. The lighter colored birds havethm also but you cannot see them. If you pluck, I suggest a white or buff bird.

Before the Cornish Cross came along, the Delaware was considered mainly a meat bird, not because it grew so much better than the other dual purpose breeds but because of its prettier carcass. As far as how fast they grow and how they taste, you'll probably be happy with most of the dual purpose birds. The Brahmas and Jersey Giants are slow to grow and mature, so they are not all that thrifty when raised as meat birds. If you totally free range and don't feed them, it doesn't matter that much that it takes longer for them to get to eating size, but if you are feeding them I'd not suggest Brahmas or Jersey Giants.

Good luck!!!