Meat Breeds. There is a choice between the ‘light’ laying breeds, and ‘heavy’ dual-purpose utility chickens which can be used for both eggs and meat. The best of them can produce an egg almost every day – at their peak four hens could give you two dozen eggs a week! So many factors influence laying that it can be difficult to predict how well any hens will perform. A docile layer of around 290-300 light brown eggs.There is also a Lohmann Tradition. Another great dual purpose cold hardy breed. Black Sex Link Chickens. Good layers should provide over 200 eggs in their first year. Individual suppliers tend to bestow different names on the hybrids they produce, leading to a confusing variety of aliases for what is effectively the same type of hen. A good utility strain should lay a very respectable quantity of large white eggs – around 300 in the first year. Numerous cases of alleged chicken-duck hybrids reported in newspapers are cited on this page. Once new pullets have settled in and begun to lay you can monitor their progress – unexpectedly low yields may indicate a problem. Discuss expected egg-yields with the breeder before making your decision, especially when buying pure-breeds. These were bred for intensive conditions and grow quickly, although they do adapt to outside conditions. The original long tailed chicken. The development of hybrid chickens started in the 1950's when there was a hugh growth in the demand for eggs and meat. Also known as the ‘Easter Egg Chicken,’ this is a good layer of pretty blue eggs -although colour can vary through green to khaki or even pink if the breed strain isn’t pure. The Cornish Cross is the preferred when picking a chicken for meat. (The older a chicken gets, the tougher the meat.) Developed originally as a commercial, dual-purpose breed but later replaced by hybrids, Delawares today make excellent backyard chickens. Buff Orpingtons. I have had many different breeds; heritage as well as hybrid layers. Appenzellers are available in a number of different colour varieties with the Silver Spangled shown to the right being the most popular. One of the larger hybrids, the Bluebelle comes in a pretty grey-blue colouring (although the shades can vary) and is a friendly and docile hen. At one time the choice would have amongst the traditional pure-breed layers, but now there are several varieties of hybrid hens to consider as well. Your email address will not be published. The white Leghorn has been used in the development of several hybrids and was originally one of the top hens for egg production. The most common hybrid is the warren hen which is a classic brown hen. Well-known as a prolific layer, the RIR has been used in the development of several hybrids. Northampton & District Poultry Club Spring Show 2016, High numbers of eggs in the first year of laying, Egg yields more predictable than with pure-breeds, Mature early – and start laying regardless of time of year, Routinely vaccinated against a number of diseases, Generally cheaper to buy than pure-breeds, Several different types and colours to choose from, Laying can be unpredictable after the first year, More likely to be prone to laying problems, such as egg-binding, prolapse and egg-peritonitis, Hybrids don’t ‘breed true’ – the only way to obtain more of the same type is to buy new pullets, Careful feeding is particularly important for hybrids to meet the demands of intensive egg-production, Hybrids are less likely to make reliable broodies if you want to hatch some eggs, Hybrid layers are usually too slight to make worthwhile table birds, Many traditional pure-breeds are declining due to the popularity of hybrids, Are likely to continue laying for more years than hybrids, Have a better life-expectancy than hybrids, Less likely to succumb to problems caused by intensive laying, Some are able foragers – given adequate free-range they will find much of their own food, Breed ‘true’ – offspring resemble the parents, Cockerels easily available, allowing the breeding of new stock, Dual-purpose breeds can provide both eggs and meat, Some breeds make reliable broodies, allowing eggs to be hatched naturally, Egg colour can be more accurately predicted, There is a wide variety of breeds to choose from, some very attractive, Some breeds are becoming rare and need support if they are not to disappear, Laying often stops or declines sharply in winter, Some breeds take longer than hybrids to reach point-of-lay, New pullets often don’t lay their first eggs until spring, Usually more expensive to purchase than hybrids. Temperament: Outgoing. Check when buying as it can depend somewhat on the individual strain. She comes close to the Warren for productivity. A large and heavy light breed, the Minorca is a superb layer of good-sized white eggs. Purpose: Dual … This is a commercial hybrid based on the Maran to produce around 290 brown, speckled eggs. In a totally free-range setting this calm disposition could put them at risk. They are good layers of glossy, deep brown (sometimes very dark) eggs with particularly thick shells. Hardy and active, this breed is well-suited to free-range. Leghorns are good foragers, but will also adapt to life in a run. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gamebird hybrids are the result of crossing species of game birds, including ducks, with each other and with domestic poultry. To visit the breed page for more information and photos, click on the image! Egg Colour: Lays brown eggs. With their bushy facial feathering, these are attractive birds that are hardy and will do well if allowed to free-range, but they can also be kept in a run. Start by choosing healthy hens from a reliable source. These birds can be free-ranged or kept in a pen –they are also easy to tame, making them a good choice for the beginner. In this video i will tell you about Hybrid chicken breed which is considered a best egg laying chicken breed in the world. Black Rock. What is a hybrid chicken? They are fairly active foragers when allowed to free range. Before hybrids came along, these were the hens for egg production. Hybrid birds have been developed over many generations from pure breeds (eg, Leghorn) but are so advanced, they are now a … Because of their excellent growth rate they are the most preferred choice among the commercial meat producers and among backyard breeders. Noise Level: Very quiet. Bovans Goldline 2. These are birds of mixed parents and grandparents which have been developed for production by selecting from the best strains. This traditional-looking chicken is a productive layer of dark brown eggs that are often speckled. A chestnut-coloured hen with a black tail and sometimes some black neck feathers too. The Welsummer is a large and heavy ‘light breed’ that could also be used as a table bird. Often more placid than the light breeds, dual-purpose chickens are capable layers and can also be fattened for the table. Dominique The Dominique breed is considered a dual purpose bird, but it excels in egg laying over meat production. Hybrid Poultry Farm was established in 1961 and was primarily a breeding company but has evolved to become a strong integrated poultry business able to meet much of Zambia's demand for chicken products through its Country Choice Chicken brand. Expect 250 - 300 eggs per year for 3 - 4 years. 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