Dual purpose chicken breeds are classified as breeds that are egg-cellent layers, but also have heavy-set builds, which means they has a substantial amount of meat- so they can be used as a table birds.
If you’re after some multi-purpose breeds and fresh produce, here are some breeds you should look at including in your flock.
Rhode Island Reds
Egg laying: Approximately 260 per year Size: 3.1kgs-3.6kgs
The Rhode Island Red is great for virtually any purpose or need - they are an egg-stremely productive egg-layer (laying large big brown eggs to boot!) and their size makes them a great table bird.
The Rhode Island Red is a popular backyard chicken keeping staple breed because they are so great for all purposes. They’re sweet natured, very friendly and easygoing, hardy in cold temperatures and beautiful to look at - just great birds all round! Need more convincing? Have a peck at our 5 reasons to love Rhode Island Reds here!
Plymouth Rock
Egg laying: Approximately 200 per year Size: 3.1kgs-3.6kgs
The Plymouth Rock is one of our absolute favourite breeds - especially the beautiful barred variety. It’s egg-stremely friendly, lays lots of lovely large eggs, hardy in the harsh elements and is a good size for meat. Need more convincing? Have a peck at our 5 reasons to love Plymouth Rocks here!
Orpingtons
Egg laying: Approximately 156 per year
Size: 3.1kgs-3.6kgs
Orpington’s are beautiful, rich coloured birds that lay well, are quite sizeable, and are also popularly used as exhibition birds. They’re hardy in winter and make great pets for families. Need more convincing? Have a peck at our 5 reasons to love Orpingtons here!
Australorps
Egg laying: Approximately 260 per year
Size: 3.1kgs-3.6kgs
The Australorp is well known as the Australian Orpington - so it’s no surprise that it is also a great dual purpose bird like its foreign-bred counterpart. Great temperament, particularly hardy, great weight, and lots of large, lovely eggs- what more could you want?! Need more convincing? Have a peck at our 5 reasons to love Australorps here!
Wyandotte
Egg laying: Approximately 208 per year
Size: 3.1kgs-3.6kgs
The Wyandotte is a breed commonly kept for their large brown eggs and their meat. Like the Orpington, they are commonly used as an exhibition bird - most likely because of their incredible feather patterns.
So if you want some meat for the table as well as some eggs for your breakfast- these are the breeds for you! In addition, they are all fairly hardy chicken breeds, so should fare well in the often unpredictable Australian weather.
There are so many breeds that fulfill a variety of purposes and it can be eggtremely confusing and difficult to choose the best breeds for your flock– so where should you begin?
Cluckily, our friends over at Chickenpedia have created an amazing Chicken Breeds Course. This extensive online course shares useful advice on choosing the right chickens for you as well as size & frequency of eggs laid. You’ll even learn about their individual personalities, and be able to use their family-friendly compatibility scale through this well-structured program. It really is a great way to find your perfect backyard buddies which is why I highly recommend them to all of my readers! The courses are beginner-friendly and filled with vital information to help you raise a happy, healthy flock.
As chicken keepers, we want to do an eggcellent job when caring for our feathered friends, but many of us struggle to handle chicken health or behavior issues, especially in the first few years of having a flock. Chickenpedia have a full range of comprehensive online courses that cover everything you didn’t know you need to know and then some more! From healthcare to raising baby chicks to feeding and behavior, that’ll give you the knowledge and confidence to successfully look after your chickens.
As a member, you will get access to ALL their fantastic courses. So, no need to wing it, become a confident chicken keeper. Click here to check out Chickenpedia today!
