# Good hens



## chicken_coop99 (Jun 19, 2013)

I'm looking to start breeding and hatching eggs. I was going to get buff orphingtons and black australorps. Because of there egg laying and the buff orphington is dual purpose not sure about the australorp. And cause they both go broody well some of them. What breed of rooster should i get


----------



## chicken_coop99 (Jun 19, 2013)

Or is there other good chickens that carry those traits all suggestions would be great


----------



## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Either would be fine for a roo. I have an australorp hen and I just adore her. She's a very sweet hen, a bit stubborn, quiet, does go broody, great egg layer, does will with confinement or free-ranging. Australorps actually are a breed of orpington's.


----------



## MaransGuy (Jul 15, 2013)

I've been wanting to get some Australorp's, I just never found the right place to get them from. They are a awsome breed. X duel purpose. The RIR, Catalana, and the Ameraucanas are a good duel purpose breed as well.


----------



## BuckeyeChickens (Jul 11, 2012)

chicken_coop99 said:


> I'm looking to start breeding and hatching eggs. I was going to get buff orphingtons and black australorps. Because of there egg laying and the buff orphington is dual purpose not sure about the australorp. And cause they both go broody well some of them. What breed of rooster should i get


What are your goals with respect to breeding and hatching???

If you want to produce "pure bred" Australorps, you obviously need an Australorp male...."pure bred" fowl are in GREATER demand than crosses if you plan on selling hatching eggs!!!

If your goal is to "improve" some trait then it is a good idea to share that information in order for us to help you....hence the reason for my first question.


----------



## Sylvester017 (Nov 2, 2013)

I've been researching Sussex as a dual-purpose bird. My friend has had both Australorp and Buff Orp but we found both a bit pushy in a flock mix. We are looking into Sussex as they are a milder temperament but still serve both dual purposes - our understanding is that the Light Sussex and Speckled Sussex are the better egg layers of all the Sussex varieties. I personally love the looks of the Coronation Sussex and the Buff Sussex but egg priority nixes those choices for me. Sussex will definitely be in my next flock.


----------



## Shayanna (Sep 25, 2013)

Our buff Orpington are very mellow in our mixed flock of 24 hens. (5 Orpington). Until they go broody, which is a trait I value highly.

Sent from my Z665C using Chicken Forum mobile app


----------



## Sylvester017 (Nov 2, 2013)

*Buff orps*



Shayanna said:


> Our buff Orpington are very mellow in our mixed flock of 24 hens. (5 Orpington). Until they go broody, which is a trait I value highly.
> 
> Sent from my Z665C using Chicken Forum mobile app


Yes, the Orps love to brood as my friend realized with hers. But her Orp was pushy with smaller gentler flock members so keeping something like Orps and "Lorps she thinks would be better in a heavier LF flock rather in a mix of gentler Ameraucanas and independent smaller Leghorn layers. She thinks dual purpose breeds are not a good idea to mix with straight egg-laying breeds. Since she is concentrating on egg sales the dual purpose are being weeded out of her flock because they dent her feed bill, aren't as prolific as the straight egg layer breeds and she doesn't process the heavier fowl for meat since she's not zoned for roos which is what people process most often in dual purpose. Nothing wrong with dual purpose breeds but for us they cost more to feed compared to output of eggs. As for egg laying breeds we've processed them for meat for many years on the farm. Give me the tasty meat of a roasted Leghorn over the tasteless Cornish X's large carcass any day of the week. Don't be fooled about eating egg layers for meat - maybe not turkey portions but still edible and a big savings on the feed bill during their egg-laying years. Everyone has to decide for themselves what their favorite breed and needs are. My next flock will be a couple gentle tempered Sussex with a couple calmer Buff (not White or Brown) Leghorns with a couple Ameraucanas and no bantams to get picked on! Out of all the LF gentle breeds researched the Sussex and Brahmas seem to be the best tempered. Since Brahmas get incredibly huge that narrowed it down to the Sussex for us for a more viable overall feed bill.


----------



## hellofromtexas (Feb 16, 2014)

My answer to what roo you need is both. I think you need to have 2 separate breeding programs to breed them


----------



## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

hellofromtexas said:


> My answer to what roo you need is both. I think you need to have 2 separate breeding programs to breed them


 around here mixed chicks are $2 each or less
day old straight run buff orpingtons are $5 each
but the all eat the same amount of feed
so pure flocks for breeding is the only way i go


----------



## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Depends on quality, too. Chicks from show quality birds will fetch higher prices than the usual 5$ straight run pure bred bird.

If you only want to hatch for your own pleasure, it really doesn't matter what you have so long as it fits the standard you want.


----------



## Sylvester017 (Nov 2, 2013)

*Pure breeds*



piglett said:


> around here mixed chicks are $2 each or less
> day old straight run buff orpingtons are $5 each
> but the all eat the same amount of feed
> so pure flocks for breeding is the only way i go


My Pop was a stickler on the farm about getting purebred livestock, poultry, and dogs so I just got raised that way. After starting my little backyard flock I stayed with purebred or heritage chickens just because I was limited to how many I could have so figured go purebred to enjoy the few I could have. Nothing wrong with Heinz57 mixed breeds for folks who have the room but with a purebred I know exactly the temperament, weight, feed requirements, broodiness, and purpose of each breed in my limited backyard situation.


----------



## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

Fiere said:


> Depends on quality, too. Chicks from show quality birds will fetch higher prices than the usual 5$ straight run pure bred bird.


correct, i have some imported english orpingtons & i get $15 a chick for day olds. with some luck i will have jubilee chicks to offer come fall
they will bring even more but they are rare.


----------

