Favorite breeds

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

I thought I'd like to have discussion on everyones favorite beeds of animals. Here are mine: 1)ducks- Muscovies, these are sure bet for productivity and great meat. They are quiet, and the set, set, set. Indian runners, these are just plain cute and they lay lots of eggs. These are so fun to take care of. 2)Alpine goats- I love these goats. They have good tasting milk, wonderful dispositions. I had one that milked two gallons a day when fresh. Right now I have a Nubian, but I'd rather have alpines. 3)Chickens- By far buff orpingtons and light brahmas. Both of these breeds are the nicest chickens. The brahmas grow a little slow, but they are wonderfully gentle birds, and when they do get grown they make a fine meal. The buffs are wonderful because for their size they bulk up more quickly and the lay well, set well, and are just plain beautiful. I have more favorites, but many of them I haven't had a chance to try raising yet. I love Jersey Cows for instance. I had a babie bull calf, but he died. He was beautiful. What bout you all? What are your favorite breeds and why?

little bit farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), July 10, 2000

Answers

I like the muscovey ducks. I've got three. I've got to mention holstein cows. They provided a good living for my family while I was growing up on a 300-cow dairy my dad ran. And I can't forget paint horses since I work for the American Paint Horse Association.

-- Joe Cole (jcole@apha.com), July 10, 2000.

For chickens I've always had the best luck with Rhode Island Reds, I think that they are a good dual purpose bird, great egg layers that are a good size. The only goats that I have experience with are Nubians, and I'm new to them but the ones we have are really mild mannered and gentle. They're still too young to breed so I'll find out about that soon. I agree with you Little Bit, Indian Runners are a blast to have around. A far as cows go, we had a Jersy growing up and she kept us in milk for years, hopefuly we'll have one soon. The big dutch breeds for rabbits are my hands down favorite. Horses, the American Quarter Horse!

Jim

-- Jim Tanner (Tanner_Jim@hotmail.com), July 10, 2000.


This is a fun question to answer.. Nubian goats,French lop rabbits..Light Brahma chickens.. NO ducks,, Big gray geese and big ugly dogs... Doris in Idaho

-- Doris Richards (dorisquilts@webtv.net), July 10, 2000.

Collie x Bearded Collie cross! Looks like a sheepdog, and the best dog I've ever had, which number is many. Chickens - I like Araucanas because of the gentle nature and the really cool green eggs. They also lay well. Brown leghorns, not at all flighty like white leghorns, and good layers. Also Black Australorps, White Rocks, and Buff Orpingtons. All lay well, are decent meat birds (although it is better, I believe, to get Cornish x Rock for meat), and occasionally get broody. We love to let them hatch out a clutch (of chicks, not something for your '72 Ford pickup!). Jerseys are great because they are gentle, pretty, and You should not get irate with me - they are tasty! Bronze turkeys are pretty. The exotics (Bourbons, etc) are fun. But for meat, the Giant whites are your best bet. Milk snakes and black snakes are good friends. Red squirrels are a pain in the buns! GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), July 10, 2000.

Don't get to stop in here much, though do love this forum. Great question, little bit.

Favorite ducks would be Khaki Campbells. They're gentle, voracious bug eaters, lay a steady supply of eggs, good mamas (and daddies), and great roasted or stewed.

Favorite geese would be Toulouse/Embden crosses. The Toulouse are gentle giants, though hard to pick. The Embdens are ornery, but their feathers let loose easier for picking. (We live pick our geese for pillows so this is a big concern.) The crosses are hardy, have the gentleness of the Toulouse, the ease of picking of the Embdens and are just a nice size for roasting.

Favorite chickens would be Plymouth Rocks (regular size) and Rhode Island bantams. Both breeds are gentle, good egg layers, good mothers, and make great chicken and noodles for winter suppers.

Favorite goats would have to be Nubians for no other reason than I like their looks :)

Favorite horse? Tennessee Walker.....that's what I was raised riding.

Favorite dog is hands-down the Louisiana Catahoula. Best all-round farm and homestead dogs we've ever had. They herd the animals, bay up 'coon and 'possum when we go hunting, guard our homestead, watch over the grandbabies when they visit (letting the little ones tug on ears and tails with never so much as a whimper) and keep our feet warm on frosty winter nights. If you're into bear or wild hog hunting, they're the dog you want out tracking for you. Can't imagine our lives without these wonderful gentle giants.

-- Kathleen (kalfy53@hotmail.com), July 10, 2000.



Chicken,polish banties, love there wigs, Goats nigerians, perfect amount of milk with out drowning in it, Horse morgans, you can do anything with them, Dog mutts, dont cost much and the right ones can do anything.But every animal is a individual and I have met some great ones in many different breeds and crosses.

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), July 11, 2000.

1. nubians love the ears, 2 .leghorns always had good luck 3 .hogs cant remember the name pink ones 4 .holstein we have two 5. indian runners realy neat to watch 6. great pyrenees could not live with out them 7 . cross bred horse still trying to convince huddy. 8.good old mix bred cat spaded.

-- renee oneill (oneillsr@home.com), July 11, 2000.

Scottish Highland cattle. People are always fascinated by their looks when they come to visit. And great meat. Great mothers. Gentle. Beautiful. Cold hardy.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), July 11, 2000.

hmmm... favorite breeds... well I like my Brecknock Hill Welsh sheep alot,, very hardy and gentle, easy to deal with. Blue Swedish ducks,, not nosiy very gentle and they Love slugs! Wyndotte chickens. Have a new Appy gelding,,, but I need to work on his manners, so not sure about him yet.. Though I like Icelandic horses best,, easy to deal with and easy to get on! (One of these days would like to try to raise Randell Lineback cattle.)

-- Bergere (autumnhaus@aol.com), July 11, 2000.

Nubians for goats of course, Rhodesian Ridgebacks for farm dogs, Buffs and Astrolops for hens, New Zealand Whites crossed with Californians for rabbits, Blue butts for hogs, anything meat crossed with Brahma for calves, and anything spayed for a barn cat. Vicki McGaugh

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 11, 2000.


Sheep: Romneys Goats: Nubians, although I really like Kindergoats Chickens: Probably any Orpington variety Ducks: Khaki Campbells Cats: Black skinny females, and puffy orange males, all fixed, of course Dogs: Standard Black Poodles Geese: Toulouse Husbands: Swedish/Scottish crossbred!!!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), July 11, 2000.

What fun! You can learn a lot about people by knowing their favourite breeds. Cattle: Jerseys and Dexters, (Jersey's do taste good!) Horses: Arabians and Shires Chickens: got to agree with Brad, Aracaunas are pretty cool, but Barred rocks are pretty and Rhode Island Reds are gentle Cats: Barn cat variety Dogs: German Short Haired Pointers Goats: HAD some really mischeivous Toggenburgs Sheep: don't know, but would like to. Geese: All but the white ones, they bite, (couldn't sit down for week LOL) Snakes: I think you're pushing it Brad :o) But garter snakes are cute and harmless. Mr Dober II lives across the road under a big rock. Mr Dober I was a temperary fiddle heading companion. So long!

-- Abigail F. (treeoflife@sws.nb.ca), July 11, 2000.

Chickens: Barred rock. Brown eggs, good meat chicken. Pretty to look at. :-)

Goats: Oberhasli-wonderful temperaments; quiet; great milk; beautiful, deerlike coloring; fairly rare. Pretty to look at.

Milk Cows: Guernsey or Jersey--both make good single family milkers; docile; Guernsey is a bit larger for beef. Pretty to look at.

Dogs: Border Collie, Akbash LGD--both dogs have a job to do and do it. Both are very intelligent. Fun to watch.

Cats: invisible or barn/strays--I don't like cats.

Rabbits: Californian--good meat bunnies. Boring to watch.

Beef: Angus--I'm old fashioned. Still one of the best beefers. Pretty to look at.

Ducks: wild--no upkeep. Pretty to look at.

Geese: Canadian--no upkeep. Pretty to look at; no fun to clean up after.

Sheep: never owned one. But any are pretty to look at.

Hogs: any will do as long as the are healthy and grow quickly...the leaner the better. Not pretty, but fun to watch and listen to.

Horse: Quarter---can do it all. Decent temperament. Pretty to look at and fun to watch.

There ya have it..........

-- JimR (jroberts1@cas.org), July 12, 2000.


We have had Nubian and Alpine goats - never got to milk either breed but I love the looks of the Nubians and the disposition of my Alpines the best.

I love the looks of the Buff Orpington chickens (and they lay all winter - or ours did in Maryland) but the Light Brahmas are so gentle - even the roosters and they are pretty too. They also do not have a comb to freeze during our cold winters here in Northern Ohio and they lay well in the winter also.

Favorite dog is definately a corgi. We have an eight week old puppy right now - nothing like them!

Like the looks of all ducks but do not like having them aroung and none of us like the meat for eating.

If we ever have our own milk cow it will most definately be a Jersey.

I have enjoyed reading everyone's input!

-- Terry (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), July 17, 2000.


Well, starting with cats, the nicest cats we've ever had were/are part siamese -- siamese coloring, but domestic shorthair shape. Dogs, Great Pyrenees, and Border Collie cross (crossed with another herding breed). Chickens, I like the above mentioned Buff Orpingtons and Light Brahmas very much. Geese, Pilgrims -- easy to tell if you have the right ratio of ganders to geese, and a nice dinner size. Sheep, I'm leaning towards Icelandics. Goats, we've had, and enjoyed, almost all the dairy breeds. Cows -- dairy, I think Jersey's are really pretty, but my favorite is Brown Swiss, because we had one when I was growing up. Beef, anything that will raise good beef to butcher on mommas milk and grass and hay without any grain!! Haven't totally solved that one yet. Horses, I like the mustangs we've had. Once gentled they were calm, intelligent, and sensible. I also like Arabs for their beauty and intelligence. But if we ever get horses again I'd really like to have Norwegian Fjords. They seem to be a good all-round, easy-keeping farm horse, with a good personality.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), July 17, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ