I've never had chickens, so I am completly ignorant on everything. The most immediate questions are: what breed is best for laying eggs, what breed is best for butchering, and do you need to have a rooster if all you want are eggs? Thanks
The best breed for laying eggs would have to be the Leghorn, for butchering try the cornish crosses and all you need to have eggs is just hens.
You may consider a "dual-purpose" breed such as the Plymouth Rock, Australorp, Wyandotte, or Rhode Island Red. All lay brown eggs. The RIR is the best layer, though the others are no slouches. Leghorns are skinny, but lay like the dickens..white shelled eggs. The dual purpose can withstand colder weather, but suffer in the heat, the Leghorns are the opposite..so that would help you decide if you are in a particularly harsh climate. The Cornish grow fast and are ready to butcher at 4 months old or just after.
Oh, forgot. You do not need a rooster to get eggs. You need a rooster to get fertile eggs for hatching chicks.
A PLYMOUTH ROCK IS A VERY GOOD LAYER AND ALSO GROW LARGE ENOUGH TO STEW.
By Nathan Strupp (Nathanstrupp) on Tuesday, July 20, 1999 - 07:41 pm:
By Anonymous on Wednesday, July 21, 1999 - 10:16 am:
By Anonymous on Wednesday, July 21, 1999 - 10:18 am:
By ChickenMAN on Saturday, October 2, 1999 - 11:09 am: