Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Some chickens can provide both meat and eggs for your family. If you want to keep your
flock small or stick to one breed of chicken, you may want to begin with one of the breeds lis-
ted below. Chickens that are proficient at laying eggs and providing meat are known as dual-
purpose birds.
Rhode Island Red
This bird is well known throughout North America and is one of the most popular breeds be-
cause of its gentle nature and multifunctionality.
These chickens are easy to care for, great pets, excellent egg layers, and good meat providers.
They are a deep red color, with some varieties having black on their tail or wings and yellow
skin. Their comb is a single or rose that is broad and solid with protuberances. The main part
has a curved surface. They also have a clean leg.
These birds are proficient egg layers and produce 250 to 300 brown eggs per year. The roost-
ers weigh about 8 ½ pounds, and the hens weigh 6 ½ pounds. The bantams of this variety
weigh about 4 pounds. Roosters tend to be aggressive in this breed, but overall Rhode Island
Reds are quiet and amicable. Long exposure to the sun will cause their coat colors to fade.
They are content with a standard pen and coop.
Plymouth Rock
These chickens were bred for both meat and eggs, and their colors vary. The barred is a strik-
ing bird with white feathers and black, horizontal striping. They also come in white, buff,
multiple penciled (a feather with several types of lines or markings), triple laced (having sev-
eral layers of a contrasting color around the edge of the feather), penciled partridge (several
lines or markings), multiple penciled silver partridge, Columbian (white with a black tail or
black-tipped feathered tail), buff Colombian, and blue lace (meaning the feathers have a bor-
der of a contrasting color around the edge). Their skin is yellow, and their legs are clean. The
eyes are bay-colored, and they have red earlobes. A single medium-size comb sits on top of
their heads.
Plymouth Rocks will lay about 200 cream- or brown-colored eggs in a year. They are a hardy
bird and will lay eggs throughout the winter. Roosters weigh approximately 9 ½ pounds, hens
weigh about 7 ½ pounds, and bantams are between 4 and 5 pounds.
Marans
