Famous dual purpose chicken breed

Since a long time ago, people have taken care of chicken for meat or egg. They get delicious chicken meat and eggs. Some farmer can invent the best chicken breed which can produce more meat and more eggs.

In the last 18th century or the beginning of 19th, some researcher have been success to develop the chicken ability. They have selected the heavy cock and productive layer hen only. The researcher also has tried to make an efficient breed that can convert the feed to meat or egg efficiently.

1. Rhode Island Red

This breed is very heavy which weighs 9.5 pound and the female weighs 6.5 pound. The hen can lay up to 250 eggs per year. It is brown and red in color. It is originated in Rhode Island, United States. The ancestor of Rhode Island Red is Red Jungle Fowl. Now, we can see it in South East Asia jungle.

2. New Hampshire Red

New Hampshire is almost similar with Rhode Island Red in performance. People are difficult to difference this bird with the Rhode Island. The breeder developed this chicken from Rhode Island Red. It is red and brown color. The cock has big single comb. The hen can lay up to 250 eggs in a year. New Hampshire pullet start to lay the eggs at six month old. This breed has been recognized as a chicken breed in 1930s by American Poultry Association.

3. Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Rock is a dual purpose chicken too. The chicken looks fat. The cock weighs 9.5 pound while; the hen weighs 6.5 pound. The hen can lay up to 200 eggs a year. The famous Plymouth Rock color is black barred. The Plymouth has other color variation such as pencil, silver, white, black and more. The cock has moderately size single comb.

4. Wyandotte

Wyandotte is a dual purpose chicken breed from United States. The hen can lay up to 240 brown eggs. The cock weighs 8.5 pound; while, the hen weighs 6 pounds. They have many color variations such as black, white, blue, red laced, white laced, silver and more.

5. Orpington

The weight of the chicken is 7-10 pounds. It is a fat chicken but it has not deep breast like Rhode Island Red. This chicken is a hybrid of three chicken breed such as Langshan, Minorca and Plymouth Rock. The hen can lays up to 200 eggs in a year. The egg is brown in color. The color of Orpington is black, red, buff, white and more.

Delaware Chicken : Plymouth Rock - New Hampshire Crossed

Delaware is a chicken breed from American. This chicken was named Indian river. The chicken was crossed of Barred Plymouth Rock Roosters and New Hampshire Hens to produce broiler chicken or utility chicken. In Mid 1950s, the breeder use white Cornish rock to produce a better Delaware.

Delaware Columbian

The roosters weigh 8.5 pound or 3.9 kilo and hens weigh 6.5 pound or 3 kilos. It is a mid size chicken. There is a Delaware bantam type but it is rare. 
Due to its size, this chicken is good for utility chicken. The production of the egg is quite high too.

The dominant color of the chicken is white. There are black barring color at the end of hackle, wing and tail. The skin is yellow and the carcass is good. It has medium size single comb with double wattles and red earlobes. The feet are clean or have no feather and yellow in color. 

The chicken is docile and tame. It is good for backyard pet. They can cut your grass in your backyard or free range area.

photo by :rjl20

Plymouth Rock Chicken Profile

Plymouth Rock Hen

Plymouth rock is a dual purpose chicken from United States. It means we can raise this chicken for meat or eggs. Most people recognize Plymouth rock barred. I thought Plymouth Rock was barred in color too because my lecture said so. Actually, there are other color variation such as white, silver, silver pencil, buff, columbian, and others.

The ancestor of the chicken is unclear, but, several individuals claim that this chicken ancestors are Malays, Dorking, Cochins, Black Java, Cochins.

Like other American class chicken breed, the rock looks fat. It has long body, full breast, and broad back. The plumage is thick. It has red blood comb, double whittle, and red earlobes. Plymouth rock weighs 9 half pounds like Rhode Island Red; while, the female weighs 6 pounds. The male can provide much meat. The hen can lays up to 200 eggs a year. They can lay in winter or bad weather. The chicken is well-adapted with winter.

Plymouth Rock Rooster

The beak, shank and toes are yellow in color. It has clean shank or no one feather in its feet. The tail is short like other American class.

This bird is docile and it is suitable for backyard pet. The bird can be tamed easily. The hen is broody too so the hen can hatch the eggs.

Photo by: Just Chaos
Photo by: Carly and Art