How to raise Backyard Chickens: [CHICKENS-101] Dual Purpose Chickens

Friday, January 27, 2012

[CHICKENS-101] Dual Purpose Chickens

Hi All,

I'm looking to order some new chicks for this spring. We currently have a mix of types with the majority (and best egg layers) being the Red Star (Sex linked) which are wonderful egg layers through the cold winters in WI.

I've considered just getting another batch of Red Stars because I like the regular eggs they give.

On the other hand I've toyed with getting some Dual Purpose egg layers that we could eat when their peak egg laying time is over (at about 2 years). Even if I just put them in the soup pot, for a slow simmer, and some chicken dumpling soup. I'd also enjoy some hens that could go broody and set on their eggs (if we got a rooster) and raise up some replacements. I'm considering Buff Orpington for that purpose, and/or a mix of Buff Orpington and Black Giants (just cause they're so beautiful and big.) Could a Black Giant Hen "marry" a Buff Orpington Rooster? Would the eggs hatch? I heard you cannot hatch the Red Star - Sex Linked eggs....

Here is a dumb question. If you let a hen set on her eggs and raise them and they become a part of the laying flock, how do you tell which ones are your old "two year old hens" that you want to butcher, and how do you tell who the young and fresh egg layers are? I can just see myself taking to butcher a young hen and keeping the old ones by accident.

I've never owned a Buff Orpington. Could you tell me if they lay many less eggs than the Red Stars in the winter. I got really spoiled with the Red Stars laying all winter, so I'm not really sure I'm ready to give that up. Maybe I could do a mix of both..... but that has its own complications.

Could anyone tell me of other good dual purpose chickens... that we may want to look into besides the Buff Orpington?

Thanks so much!

Truly,

Britta in WI