Would love suggestions on dual purpose birds ... Or meat birds!

[Jordann]

Thank you CastleFarmUK! I have been reading through your website.

Thank you Chickenchacha. I have been looking into Orpingtons and Barred Rocks and they seem like they are what we want so far.

 

[HooDoo Mtn Farm]

This year, I'll be trading in my barnyard mix for Delawares. My needs are similar to yours, but I value the egg production more than you mention. Also, I like the way Dels mature quickly; I want to harvest my meat birds, not keep feeding them, and I don't want the Cornish X.

 

[redsoxs]

This year, I'll be trading in my barnyard mix for Delawares. My needs are similar to yours, but I value the egg production more than you mention. Also, I like the way Dels mature quickly; I want to harvest my meat birds, not keep feeding them, and I don't want the Cornish X.

I think the Delaware is a good choice for what you need. Plus, they are a friendly and calm bird. Good luck to you!

 

[Jordann]

I liked those too, but my feed store won't be getting them in. The owner said it would cost too much to bring in an additional bird from the same supplier .... Doesn't sound right to me, but if she doesn't want my money, that's fine.

 

[bj taylor]

hi everyone;
i have a black australorp rooster. he's a great rooster. he's very big, he's very watchful for the girls (did battle w/a hawk once when the hawk had one of my girls - both he & the girl survived ok), he's easy on the girls AND he's not aggressive to people at all. he's skittish with people, even me whos had him since day old. i never tried to make a pet of him - just let him be. if he's indicative of the breed - i can't reccomend the breed highly enough.
my buff orpington girl lays the biggest & in my opinion, the best eggs. i also have black australorp girl, a barred rock, and a silver laced wyandotte. these have been hardy birds, good temperment, and lay faithfully.
since my flock is so small i haven't eaten any, but they're on the slim side. they range in a two acre back yard.
i'm hoping for some babies this spring to enlarge the flock. i know they would be very unfriendly toward any newcomers from the outside.

 

[chiqita]

I liked those too, but my feed store won't be getting them in. The owner said it would cost too much to bring in an additional bird from the same supplier .... Doesn't sound right to me, but if she doesn't want my money, that's fine.

You are very unlikely to get broodies from feed store chicks. Or chickens big enough to be dual purpose. Most of them have been mixed with leghorn to ramp up egg production and bread small to take less feed. My hatchery birds don't brood and they are broody breeds.the only one I have seen that is broody from hatcheries is some silkies but even that isn't certain and they are tiney tiny.

I would highly suggest finding a local breeder that you can get chicks from that you like the size of their birds and has girls that go broody.

But even a really broody girl will only do it a couple of times a year. If you want a consistent supply of dog food you will ave to incubate.

Coturnix quail are great for feeding pets. Good protein to bone to innerd ratio and take 8 weeks instead of 6 months to be ready to eat. But they won't raise their young either.

 

[HooDoo Mtn Farm]

Thanks for the votes on the Dels!
I'm ordering 50 each from 2 different sources, so I should have a mixed bloodline for the 25 I'll be keeping!

 

[Jordann]

Chiqita, thank you! That's what I have been hearing and reading. My mom reminded me yesterday that a friend from our agility class does chickens, so I need to see if she has a rooster and if she is going to get rid of any. If not, I'm sure she'll know somewhere I can find some. I'm also in the Washington State thread, so I'm going to ask around there, so I can get local kiddos.

BJ, I liked what I was reading about the Australorps as well. But the feed store lady wasn't sure if she was going to get them in. But the more info I have been getting, the more likely I am to look around for kiddos from someone locally, so I have a better chance of broody girls.

Haha ... Chiqita answered my question already.

 

[chiqita]

Chiqita, thank you! That's what I have been hearing and reading. My mom reminded me yesterday that a friend from our agility class does chickens, so I need to see if she has a rooster and if she is going to get rid of any. If not, I'm sure she'll know somewhere I can find some. I'm also in the Washington State thread, so I'm going to ask around there, so I can get local kiddos.

BJ, I liked what I was reading about the Australorps as well. But the feed store lady wasn't sure if she was going to get them in. But the more info I have been getting, the more likely I am to look around for kiddos from someone locally, so I have a better chance of broody girls.

Haha ... Chiqita answered my question already.

If you look at home grown chicken, also look into marans. Mine are great broodies and big boys for the extras. And the most tasty of the dual breeds IMO. Good luck!

 

[Jordann]

Hmm. None of the books I've been reading have mentioned marans .... Will have to look on the Internet for them I guess.