SC - Egg shell colours

[Anne-Marie Rousseau]

All you ever wanted to know about chickens, but were afraid to ask....


Extension Poultry Science Department

Best Breeds of Chickens

The breed of chickens that a producer selects for his flock depends upon the
purpose for which the
chickens are intended. The types of chicken breeds to select from falls into
one of three categories,
1) egg laying stock, 2) meat-type birds and 3) dual purpose breeds. Each
type of bird is genetically
developed to satisfy the best attributes for which they are intended.
However, no single breed of
birds will provide the best characteristics for all three purposes. Each
category of birds will be
discussed below.

The egg laying breeds of birds have ancestries that trace them to the
Mediterranean Class of
chickens as classified by the American Standard of Perfection. They have
been genetically
selected for high egg productivity, but usually have small bodies that make
them undesirable as meat
producers. The small bodies benefit these breeds because very few nutrients
are wasted for
producing great body mass. Instead, they direct more of their dietary
nutrients into the egg
production. The egg producing breeds are further divided into birds that
produce white shelled eggs
or brown shelled eggs. The best white shell egg breeds are descended from
the Leghorn breed with
several different feather color patterns to select from. The best brown
shell egg production breeds
are developed from Rhode Island Red stock. Regardless of which shell color
breed selected, there
are many modern varieties from which to choose.

The meat-type breeds of chickens are not really breeds at all. Instead, they
are hybrid varieties or
combinations of many different breeds. The combinations of breeds are
selected to produce a
variety (strain) with meat characteristics that the producer desires most.
Some breeds grow faster
and larger while others emphasis traits like larger breast meat yield, more
efficient feed conversion,
or more disease resistance. The strains are named after the breeding
companies that genetically
develop them, like Arbor Acres, Ross, Peterson and Hubbard, to name a few.
The weakness of
these varieties is that they do not lay as many eggs per hen as the egg
laying breeds discussed above.
These strains are used by broiler producing companies that commercially
produce broilers sold in
supermarkets.

The third type of chicken breeds are those that are dual purpose. They are
not as good in producing
eggs as the Leghorn or Rhode Island Red breeds, but they have much better
meatiness. They are
also inferior in meat production characteristics as compared to the
commercial meat-type hybrid
varieties, but they are much better egg producers. Typical breeds in this
dual purpose category are
New Hampshires, Plymouth Rocks, and Wyandottes.

The producer should select the characteristic that is most important for him
and then contact a
nearby hatchery to see if a suitable breed or variety is available. The
hatchery manager will be able
to advise the producer about the birds that are available. If a suitable
breed is not available at the
hatchery, contact the county Extension office for an alternate source of the
breed you desire. The
publication Breeds and Varieties of Chickens is a listing of all
breeds/varieties recognized by the
American Poultry Association.


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Last modified: Wednesday, 12-Aug-98 13:08:33
URL: http://ext.msstate.edu/anr/poultry/poultrypapers/twsbreed.htm
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Phlip

phlip at morganco.net

Philippa Farrour
Caer Frig
Southeastern Ohio

So many Gods, so many creeds,
So many paths that wind and wind,
When just the art of being kind
Is all this sad world needs.



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