Which is best for table meat as well as eggs??

[Beekissed]

BTW, if you have a broody hen that's a strong brooder, just taking the eggs away won't "take care of that". I have 5 fanatical broodies right now, (1 Lt. Brahma, 3 dark Cornish, 1 Black Australorp) that have been brooding for over 2 months. I've been taking the eggs. I have some eggs incubating that I'm dividing among them as soon as I see a pip or hear a peep. They are not giving up without some chicks. (I'd have just put eggs under them, but they keep moving around to different nests.)

Sounds to me like you need to get out the bucket!

 

[floridachickenman]

from what im reading everybody has their opinions and you need to find what YOU like.
Im also starting to think that within every breed that different strains seem to carry different attributes. I read a comment about their black sex links being mean, well mine follow me around and let the kids hold them, thats not mean to me
So find out what u want, and go with it

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Sounds to me like you need to get out the bucket!

Bucket?

 

[MamaDragon]

Here's the situation - we are going to be supplimenting / replacing our current flock, and are trying to determine what will be the best for our Low Maintenance flock. We don't have room for two flocks, and a limit of 30 birds (not counting juveniles), so a dual purpose flock is our best choice. We don't have the ability to add lights, heat, fans, etc to the coop (no electricity. Insulation is still on the to-do list, so can't depend on more than body heat to keep them warm this winter.

Ultimate Goal- a true farmstead flock that provides: eggs year round; decent table meat; self-perpetuating; gentle dispositions for free-ranging with kids, dogs, other livestock. etc.

Currently in the top three are NHR's, BO's and Brahmas. Here's why -

We like the early maturity rate and high egg production of the NHR's, currently 5-7/wk each; large to jumbo sized eggs.

We MUST have birds that are hardy in both cold weather (temps below freezing for extended periods, and frequently staying below zero) as well as Heat Tolerant (summers in the 100+degrees with RH at 85% and higher) Brahmas seem to be the best for this ability.

We need a gentler temperment than pure NHRs: hence considering the BO's and Brahmas. We have young children and grandchildren (seven and still counting) constantly in residence, and agressive birds don't go well with todlers and grade-schoolers.

We will be maintaining this flock for the Long Haul - 5-10 years at the minimum.... know what we are eating, etc..... broody hens and good mothers are required.

We will be butchering out the culls for table meat, so dual purpose / Heavy birds seem to make the most sense to us. If we're going to all the trouble to butcher, we at least need enough meat on the bird to make it worth the while. (don't want to be serving 1/2 chicken per adult etc.)

I love the size of the Brahmas, don't like the slow maturity rate.

I have considered adding Dorking to the mix - any chicken that was the number one chicken in the US before the Civil War, and Still Around... has GOT to have stability and durability.

I am all too well aware that this IS a life-long project, and it may never be "perfect", but I've got the time to invest, and the patience to give it an honest effort.

So here are my questions -

Anyone know a single breed that meets these needs?

Has anyone performed any of these crosses? How well did it work? What bad traits or troubles did you have? How many generations did you carry it thru? If you abandoned the project, why?

Here's hoping you can help us make a better-informed decision....

Kathy

(I posted this over in the genetics side, and have yet to get any response)

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Sounds to me like you need to get out the bucket!

Bucket?

Bucket of water, hold chicken upside down, quickly dunk in bucket a couple of times and toss lightly out of the henhouse! May need to reinforce this another time. Usually breaks a broody. Old-timey, grandma remedy for unwanted broodiness. I've used it with much success. Doesn't hurt them but does change their minds. Some folks believe it is the lowering of their body temps that causes the break, but mine are never in the water long enough to even get wet, except on the surface.

 

[dancingbear]

Oh, I see. I've read that before. I've just always let them hatch some eggs. This time, each of these hens has already hatched a clutch this year, and they're playing musical nests. I just didn't want to play "stick the hens back on the eggs" several times a day right now.

So, like I said, I already have a batch of eggs in the incubator, that I'm going to put under them as soon as there's a peep or a pip. Otherwise I might consider that. I don't think I'd turn them upside down and dunk their heads, though. Maybe the undersides, to lower body temp.

 

[dancingbear]

Have you considered Buckeyes? They sound like a better choice for your situation than any of the 3 you selected. They seem to be extremely hardy, make reasonably good table birds in a reasonable length of time, lay fairly well, and they're really pretty, and very people friendly. This is accoring to info I've gathered from people who have them, and from websites about the breed, (all of which seem to have copied and pasted identical info) I haven't got any yet myself, but I want to try them soon.

Delawares might be a good choice, too. Same reasons as the Buckeyes.

I can't say for sure whether I've ever had NH's, I've had some red hens with black tails that I don't know what they were. They were heavier than RIR's. Had a pair of them for several years. Never got broody once. Good layers, though, nice big brown eggs. Ate some of their offspring, the roos. Can't say they were very meaty, but they were cross breeds, too. I had an unidentifiable mix breed roo about that time, he was great with the hens, but the offspring weren't very meaty. A fox got him, and we were sad, because he had such a good personality.

I have Brahmas. They have a nice disposition, I've really fond of them, they're lovely. Decent layers, but they're slow to start. SLOW growers. Do you want to wait a year for a large, tough, bird? Good moms. Can be extreme brooders. But over all, not really practical in a situation like you describe. I'm phasing mine out, but I have an unreasonable attachment to my Buff Brahma roo, papa.

I still have 1 BO hen, I've had a couple dozen over the years. Only had a couple of them ever go broody. Had a couple of really mean BO roos. Ate one, gave the other to a drunken neighbor who thought it was funny to have an attack rooster chase his drinking buddies. We've eaten several BO roos that were extras. They're not bad, but not great either. There are dual purpose birds that are better.

It's hard to predict temperament, I don't know if there really are any that you can count on to never become human-aggressive. Likewise broodiness, I read all the time what good moms BO's are. That hasn't been my experience at all.

I don't know if Delawares or Buckeyes will brood. But, you could always keep a few dark Cornish hens, they brood like mad. Very good moms. Some of the best I've ever seen, in fact. Very hardy, too. They lay smallish eggs that you could mostly tell from the others, at least once they get past the tiny pullet egg stages. That way you could chose eggs from the Bucks or Delawares to hatch. I'd like to try Cornish roo over Buckeye and Delaware hens, too, as well as Dorking, to see what that cross will produce.

You might consider getting an incubator, if you end up with hens that won't brood. You'd get better egg production, and you could control when you have chicks to raise. Maybe keep a standing flock of 15 or so for eggs, and incubate 15 or so at a time to raise for meat.

If all you have are tough, older birds, they still make great meals. The crock-pot is my friend. I got mine for about $4 at a Peddler's Mall. (a chain of flea markets in my neck of the woods) With a removable crock. I love it, but I use a heavier glass lid, not the little thin one that comes with it. My heavy lid holds the heat better.

Now after all that, Floridachickenman's right, you'll have to figure out what works the best for you. I just don't think the 3 breeds you're set on would be the best choices, but if they end up being what you prefer, that's all that matters.

Good luck in whatever you choose, I hope you'll post how it works out for you.

 

[jjparke]

16 week old buff orp roos are delicious. Better tasting than any "meat" bird I have ever tasted.

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
I worded that badly, what I meant was there are dual purpose roos that get bigger, faster, and are meatier than BO's. Flavor-wise, they taste good. I like just about anything better than the Cornish X meat birds. I haven't raised the others yet, so I can't say whether they have anymore flavor or not. I've heard very good things about the Red Bros.

There was a Rainbow Cornish for awhile, that was supposed to have superior flavor, and be able to breed true, and healthy enough that you could keep them and maintain a flock of your own. But they were hard to get. I never did manage to get even one, let alone breeders. Shadylane Poultry in KY was the source I knew of, and last time I googled them, the site was gone. They may have changed names, re-located, or any number of things. There was another source on the west coast somewhere, I think, but I don't know the name.

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

I have buff orpingtons, I like them a lot.
I live in NC, so your concern about the heat in an earlier thread is not a concern. They came through 100 degree days this summer no problem.

But, I'm a bit confused, if you are looking for a good homestead flock, good layers, self perpetuating, decent table fare, you should be looking at cross breeds, not "full blooded" chickens. Why do you have to have a flock that all the birds look the same. Get some of all of the breeds you mentioned, as well as a cornish rock roo to cross all with.

My grandfather farmed for a living, and believe me, we lived off of the garden, the hogs, and chickens. I didn't even know that milk game from any other source than goats until I was 10 years old. He had nothing but "mutt chickens".