Dual purpose breed choice

[puddleglumWI]

Hello all,

New to the forum, and am looking for some ideas for a dual purpose breed. I am interested in eggs more than meat, but would like a breed that has reasonable potential as a meat bird. I hope to raise some chicks to sell, add to the flock, and butcher. I will be moving to the family farm this spring, and will have about 3-4 acres of farmyard that I can work with. I plan to use poultry netting and a mobile coop, at least in the summer, maybe with a permanent stationary coop for the winter. I am pretty new, and have been reading a lot, so I want to put out a few ideas I have, and welcome any critique of my ideas, or suggestions you may have for me.

A few breeds I have some interest in, and thoughts I have about them:

1. Bielfelder. There is a breeder about two hours from me that says they have Bielfelders that are laying 300+ eggs per year, which would be great. The chicks are autosexing, and the males get big, so they have some potential for meat. But I have read they take quite a while to fill out.

2. Delaware. They were originally meant to be decent layers and grow a little faster for roasters. I would probably need to find a decent breeder to get these qualities. I could have a Delaware rooster and just raise Delawares, or I could keep a New Hampshire rooster with Delaware hens to get red sex link chicks, and hopefully keep decent growth and laying in the offspring.

3. American Bresse. While I am not interested in all the fru-fru feeding routines to produce the finest meat in the world I read about, these seem like they are a decent layer, grow quickly, and are good foragers. That checks boxes for me, and I am sure they still would be good eating even if they don't get the fancy finishing before butchering.

4. Barred Rocks. This would be the cheapest option, as I could probably get decent layers from a hatchery and Rocks shouldn't be the most terrible meat birds. I could keep an Australorp or New Hampshire rooster to give the offspring a little more size, and they would have black sex link chicks. I am guessing they would be a little slower to fill out, however.

Just a few of my initial thoughts. Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks,
-pg

 

[Molpet]

If I was starting over I would try these particular New Hampshire
https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/shop/product/new-hampshire-gmo-free-chicken/

 

[Molpet]

Do you ever get down to Joliet IL area?
I have extra meat mutts pullets. They are a mix of several breeds, dark Cornish is the latest breed I threw in the mix.

 

[puddleglumWI]

Thanks, Molpet,

If I was starting over I would try these particular New Hampshire
https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/shop/product/new-hampshire-gmo-free-chicken/

Have you heard how the Freedom Ranger New Hampshires lay?

Do you ever get down to Joliet IL area?
I have extra meat mutts pullets. They are a mix of several breeds, dark Cornish is the latest breed I threw in the mix.

I am mostly interested in a breed with good egg laying, but hoping to figure out one that will be reasonably decent for meat.

-pg

 

[Molpet]

Have you heard how the Freedom Ranger New Hampshires lay?

There's a couple people in this meat forum that have them and are happy with them , but I can't remember how they laid

 

[Ridgerunner]

In my opinion the quality of stock you start with is much more important than breed. You can get good or bad specimens with any of those breeds. What makes a good specimen will vary depending on what your goals are. Some people are obsessed by size. Some of us not so much. That's just differences in people and circumstances.

You talk about making sex links and about adding to your flock. You cannot use sex links to make sex links. So the sex link thing will work for the first generation but not the second. One way around that is to maintain a breeding flock, bringing in new stock when you need to, and butcher or sell all of the chicks. You could maintain separate flocks to produce roosters and layers but that may be too complicated for you, it would be for me.

You emphasize egg laying. Hatchery stock will not be that big but they tend to lay really well. You might be happy with those. Something else I could see working is to get something like large meat type roosters like those New Hampshires probably are and cross them with hatchery stock hens that lay well, maybe Delawares, to get sex link chicks. Masbe not the best of both worlds but not a bad compromise.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I haven't raised these myself but wanted to post this since you memtioned Delawares:

https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/delaware-broiler.html

Egg lays and bred to be meaty

 

[puddleglumWI]

I was leaning toward the Delaware; a little smaller, but a little faster growing, and they are still good layers. A few people here have decent reviews of the stock from Deer Run Farm, and it looks like there are a few other breeders that raise them. Good to know MMcM has a meatier variety as well, if I decide to spend less to get my toes wet in the hobby.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I was leaning toward the Delaware; a little smaller, but a little faster growing, and they are still good layers. A few people here have decent reviews of the stock from Deer Run Farm, and it looks like there are a few other breeders that raise them. Good to know MMcM has a meatier variety as well, if I decide to spend less to get my toes wet in the hobby.

Yeah to my understanding, the Delaware was THE meat bird before the Cornish X, but once the CX came on the scene, the Delaware started to be bred more for egg-laying qualities. So your typical hatchery Delaware today will be more of a layer and less meaty. I think McMurray is trying to replicate the true dual-purpose Delawares of the past with those ones I sent you. That's why I really like the look of them, and the reviews are good.

I currently live somewhere where I cannot have roosters, but I plan to have a dual purpose flock like you describe, once I move somewhere with more land. I've had my eye on these Delawares for that purpose for a while. Those New Hampshires Molpet sent also look good. New Hampshires are known to be great layers, but maybe give the hatchery a call to ask about their birds' averages.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Bielfelder don't lay 300 eggs per year. Though they do lay over 200 which is like New Hampshire and excellent for dual purpose birds.

You should think more on your goals and needs before choosing a breed. Many are good and there are many variations to consider. For instance winter laying. That's important if you want eggs all year round. Cost of feed and size of birds is a consideration with rising feed costs. To maintain a large body the birds consume more food. Medium sized dual purpose birds may be more attractive to you if planning to keep many birds.

People have been asking and hatcheries are finally making available meatier non standard birds like the aforementioned Knoll New Hampshire and that meatier Delaware. These are good options if you want sustainable meat. No doubt about it.

Personally I'm a sucker for standard bred birds. I think people can search somewhat locally, within a day drive, and find several options of good stock to obtain. Quick search of your area and Faverolle are available. I know they seem a fancy breed but if that person has good stock it's a utility bird that lays in winter. They lay just under 200 per year, medium compact carcass with fast fleshing. Then you've got Bielfelder near you too. And there are more to consider. Take your time, ask questions of breeders, get photos and really think about the birds and your goals.

A flock of quality standard bred birds have a majesty of their own. And many still have utility value. Early fleshing, not confused with early growth, is a great quality for culling excess cockerels for the freezer. Winter laying has become more important to me as we are eating store bought eggs currently.