Proud Mama

[baymule]

So exciting! And a pretty black chick, I sure hope it is a girl! I've had chickens for quite awhile, but because of being blocks from downtown and city hall, no rooster. Now that we moved, I'll be ordering chicks--straight run, and will keep a rooster!

 

[Nyboy]

Bay do you know what breed you want yet?

 

[Jared77]

Too cool!!! I find it fascinating that the bantams are so broody yet the bigger birds don't seem to be as often.

Regardless what a neat thing for your girls to see.

 

[baymule]

Bay do you know what breed you want yet?

I want Delaware. According to what I have read, Delaware was the meat chicken before the Cornish cross. They are good layers and make a nice fryer. They don't grow as fast as the Cornish cross, but what does? I don't know if they would go broody, it would be nice to have that quality too. The hens crossed with a Rhode Island Red rooster, make nice red sex links.

 

[journey11]

That's one of several dual purpose breeds I'm looking at too. Others are Buckeyes, Black Copper Marans, Orpingtons (any color), Light/Coronation Sussex or White Rocks. I think I will end up trying each if I can and decide which I like best. Now that I have an incubator, I'd like to start breeding my own flock.

 

[thistlebloom]

Journey if you get Black Copper Marans it will be interesting to see how they work out for you. I only had a few and was seriously unimpressed with their personality. The eggs were pretty, but their temperament was the worst I've ever seen. Which to be sure is not extensive, but I've heard my experience repeated often enough to make me wonder.

 

[journey11]

Journey if you get Black Copper Marans it will be interesting to see how they work out for you. I only had a few and was seriously unimpressed with their personality. The eggs were pretty, but their temperament was the worst I've ever seen. Which to be sure is not extensive, but I've heard my experience repeated often enough to make me wonder.

Yeah, I've heard they can be mean. But I also hear they are big and meaty. And we always eat the mean ones anyway.

That's what I love best about my Easter Eggers. Sweetest and gentlest chickens ever. I have 2 EE roosters and they're even nice to each other! EE's are also meaty.

 

[Nyboy]

I don't know why but I laughed at " we always eat the mean ones"

 

[bobm]

The biggest problem with eating the mean ones is the time needed to grow out between the meals. Give me the Cornish Cross every time for a meat bird, while the White rock or Deleware would go nice as a dual purpose bird.

 

[journey11]

The biggest problem with eating the mean ones is the time needed to grow out between the meals. Give me the Cornish Cross every time for a meat bird, while the White rock or Deleware would go nice as a dual purpose bird.

We've raised Cornish Cross several times. I've had very good results with them and manage them carefully to prevent health problems. I like the get it over and done with part, being that they only take 6-8 weeks to put them in the freezer. They have the best feed conversion ratio, but they won't forage.

I like eating ol' yard bird too (nice ones and mean ones ) and a good dual purpose breed would be more economical for me if I am able to raise my own stock. The CX are young and tender, but the the 16-week-old standard birds have more flavor. I like to have both in the freezer and have different recipes and cooking methods for each.