There are many advantages to owning a heritage breed of chicken like a Rhode Island Red or Light Sussex but there are also times it is better to have a smaller breed that is just a layer.
Some Advantages of a Heritage Breed
In this case I am looking at the Rhode Island Red and Light Sussex both these breeds are dual purpose or utility breeds of chicken. Which means they are both egg layers and meat birds and as such are a larger bird than a straight egg layer.
- Heritage Breeds tend to be a more hardy breed and
- they will also live longer and
- lay longer but not as many in a year
- They are a bigger bird.
Some advantages of Laying Hens
- They tend to be smaller so they do not need as much space
- They lay many more eggs
Disadvantages of Laying Hens
- They typically only lay for a few years than egg production drops right off and you are left with a non laying hen
- Not as hardy
Before Buying Chickens
It is important to know why you want chickens and what you expects beofre you buy them becareful not to just buy based on looks as you could be very disappointed.
For instance breeds with large combs do better in hottet climates than chickens with small rose combs which do better in cold climate simply because of the heat loss through the comb.