Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

How many of you stared with a "mutt" flock and have since moved to a specific breed?
What were your reasons? Did you keep your mutts or sell them off and start brand new with your specific breed?

I'm researching until my mutt-hen goes broody and I plan to get her some pure breed eggs to sit on. I like Ameraucana...especially the wheaten variety, which seem to be harder to find. Which makes me think that maybe I should be breeding these to sell hatching eggs, chicks, etc. But then what do I do with my little mutt flock, pets really, that I've already got, including a gentle rooster. I'm sure I'm not the first to think along these lines...

I actually started with all purebreads - banty's - I started with 3 and within a week I had 6....lol

I still have 3 of my original flock! They are lovely old girls that enjoy sunshine and treats and I'll be heartbroken when they go! But they are 9 yrs young...lol

I would just keep them. I have used my broody girls many times. They all make great Mom's. Good luck in whatever you decide on.

Cheers

I did. I kept my mutts (production birds and easter eggers and combinations thereof lol) and built more coops I wasn't willing to give up my elderly layers, or the beautiful colours I got from the mutts, but I wanted a challenge, and a specific breed to focus on, and to put in the freezer. I bought some standardbred birds, and kept everybody else, even started a new project line with the mutts. At one point, I had 4 separate coops and a communal pen. Chores, especially in winter, were a bit of a nightmare. Then I moved to a place with barns

I started with RTLs from Freys. Didn't expect to get hooked. I tried Australorps and didn't really like them. I still have one pure girl from them who is getting on in years. I bred a few from the original mutts and added some from WWW. Got a lovely rooster from OC. Now I've moved to Wyandottes and they are super, very friendly and sociable. When Lucky died I got some crossbred hatching eggs from Kyle and have some very pretty eggs now. Also 2 Ameraucana hens. My X rooster came from Kyles eggs and I kept him because the ladies told me to. Polite and serious but non-aggressive. Just checks up if you're around he coops. Chunky a Blue Columbian Wyandotte arrived with Kibble and Bitts from OC. Now I have some of their offspring as does Kbr. The surplus roosters make a good meal for 2 (sorry).
My main love though is my turkeys and my Tom will get to retire and live a happy life when the time comes as will Kathleen my main female.
All my mutt birds will get to retire and scratch around happily for as long as their health allows.
I do have several coops now (11 yikes) but would LOVE a barn.

Hoo Boy! 11 coops! This sounds like a dangerous (to your wallet) hobby {LOL}.

Linda

labradors wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:31 pm

Hoo Boy! 11 coops! This sounds like a dangerous (to your wallet) hobby {LOL}.

Linda

Hell yeah! Fortunately I got a lot of the materials at staff price when I used to work at RONA!

I was a kid when I started, given birds by a neighbour.

I then ordered a McMurray catalog (grade 5 in school) and got hooked and thought I could make a few bucks and have fun.

I then went to auctions and got hooked on black rose comb bantams and game birds (quail, pheasants etc.). a raccoon hit me hard but I recovered. We ordered light brahmas and silver laced wyandottes from McMurray. at that time it was hard to find purebred birds: you had to know where to look. today with the internet its easy (or at least easier) to find birds (but they might not be close).

life took me away from the farm and now I'm back. I'm trying different breeds to find what turns my crank (and fits my schedule and life).
It seems cream legbars are the good fit, bantams and pheasants in the future.

The high pitched voice and the spunky character of bantams gets me (especially old breeds of bantams - breeds that are old breed bantams such as rosecombs or nankins or Old English Games) so I'll get some again soon.

I started with 10 sexed day old Barred Rocks from Frey's. I love rocks and I think they are "one" of my breeds of choice but I want true heritage birds (not hatchery stock) for a lot of reasons but mostly because I want healthy, long living birds bred and raised ethically. My second breed I added was old English Game bantams and like @baronrenfrew I love the attitude these little bundles have. They are like the small terriers of the bird world. Then I added Cochins just because I had room to add a few and I saw an ad and googled them and fell in love. I always thought I would have nothing but purebreds. Then I hatched a few mixed chicks last year and purchased 2 mystery chicks last week and I'm sort if intrigued with mutts at the moment. I just gave my OEGB hen 8 eggs purchased from a flock that is all different colours running together and wondering what combination I might end up with is pretty exciting. I think I'm going backwards lol. I will always have some purebreds but I think there's space in my coop for some interesting mutts as well.

Started with mutts, given eggs and hatched them out. Absolutely loved them. Got into purebreds with the internet showing all the fabulous breeds out there. So many beautiful breeds, can't have them all though.