Chicken (Gallus)
On our farm, we raise both egg layers and meat birds. While we have experimented over the past three years with many types of both birds, we have begun the settling process, looking towards a selection of vigorous egg layers and quick-growing meat birds.
Our broilers are Cornish/Rock crosses, a fairly generic hybrid designed for their ability to very quickly put on weight, and to bulk up in the chest. We’ve tried growing heritage breeds for meat, but our modern sensibilities demand a heavy chicken when dressed. Heritage breeds convert feed to meat much more slowly, and often take a long time reaching a size where a family of four could enjoy one bird.
The egg layers on our farm have gone through a simliar progression. While we used to be dazzled by the all the possible breeds of domesticated egg laying chickens, we have begun to focus our energies on those breeds that lay a consist and high yield of eggs. That means more sex-links and hardy breeds like the Australorp, white Leghorns and other such breeds.