Should you choose Hybrid or Heritage chickens? What's the difference?

There's no doubt that the most efficient producers of eggs are commercial hybrid chickens housed in a controlled environment and fed on a fully balanced commercial layer diet. But
Heritage chickens are beautiful in many different ways and make beautiful and varied pets.
Heritage chickens lay colourful eggs.
There are heritage breed chickens that naturally suit hot climates,
or cold climates.
Heritage chickens are good at foraging and adapt well to a varied diet.
Heritage breed chickens live, and lay eggs, for many years. They have a much longer life span that the commercial hybrids, who wear themselves out in a few years.
Heritage breed hens are by far the best broodies and mama hens for raising chicks.
You can't really breed those commercial hybrids at home - at least three generations of breed lines are needed to make each first-generation hybrid that has that peak laying performance. If you want to breed chickens, you need a heritage or cross-breed rooster.
And unlike those millions of identical commercial hybrid hens, heritage breed chickens have a wide range of genetic diversity. Let's maintain and protect that for our future.
If you want to know more about the sex-linked crosses that result in baby chicks that are easily identifiable as girls or boys at hatching, this is my video about that:
• Chicken Genetics 4 - s...
from my genetics series:
• Chicken genetics
For more fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
/ chickensinmygarden
Catch up with me on Facebook / chickensinmygarden
Or if you are more interested in gardens than chickens, you can follow my garden page / myplentifulgarden

[@45auto]

I agree 100% on the need for biodiversity.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@ramshackle9876]

You are a great resource for us new chicken owners. I've been really encouraged by your videos. Thanks!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Wow, thank you! Best wishes to you and your chickens 🙂

[@ml.5377]

Our first chickens were Criollas or Creoles (mutts). Great layers. Then we received eggs from a friend and got Silkies and Araucanas (rumpless). After that came the Bantam Cochins, the Sebrights, Paduanas and an Ameraucana rooster. He loves the Cochins so we got some gorgeous green layers from their chicks that lay a good number of eggs and we learned about cross breeding. We now have a broody Silkie and some Black Copper Marans chicks we hatched in the incubator... Chicken math is awful. We have 4 coops and closed runs.... We are about to get some Speckled Sussex, British Araucanas and Faverolles. It is so much fun to learn with chickens.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Ha ha! That chicken math will get you every time. They are like an addiction but we never want to be cured 😀

[@yzettasmith4194]

The commercial hybrids have a short life span with reproductive tract disease and other health problems. I want a chicken that will lay steadily over more years rather one that burns out by the time they are 2.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Yes, me too. The big companies don't care - they replace those poor worn out hens at about 18 months old.

[@BeHarpazoReady]

Yes you're correct. We only have one brown shaver left out of a flock of four. Spent a fortune keeping them alive. Our last one is 5 years and we are her flock now. She lays all year round and averages three eggs per week. God bless and maranatha 👑

[@chickensinmygarden]

They just lay their little hearts out 😘

[@victoriasun6386]

Hylines

[@faltio69]

Very good video Sheryl! I had a few Golden Sex Linked - which are the “Egg Machine” they lay eggs year round which was great, but they petered out fairly quickly, and they just withered away and died 😞. Being they were pets it was sad so we prefer the Heritage breeds we have more time with them, they live longer, but they do take a breaks during the winter which is ok for the years of pleasure they give us. Enjoy Fall!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thanks for that. Yes we do get attached to them don't we. I'm here in the southern hemisphere here in New Zealand so we are heading into Spring. All six of my heritage breeds are in full lay, so - scrambled eggs, bacon-and-egg pie, and omelets are back on the menu. And homemade icecream soon ☺

[@whoaracehorse670]

Your videos are the best!!!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Aww, thanks so much ☺

[@michellebarbour5777]

Wouldn't it be great, in the U.K, at least, if all those mowed areas behind and around high rise blocks of flats, where there are signs ;'No ball sports, no running, no animals', could have diverse chickens in healthy runs, compost heaps and water butts. Gosh, I'm trying, but it's tough.

[@chickensinmygarden]

"No ball sports, no running, no animals". So maybe fruit trees? Vegetable gardens? Have you heard of guerilla gardening? 😉

[@michellebarbour5777]

Yes! A little group of us are always throwing about some seeds.Hollyhocks, Dill, mint and potatoes all over the place. I love that it feels a bit naughty - small pleasures over 60..Ha! @@chickensinmygarden

[@chickensinmygarden]

That sounds wonderful!

[@pamelasilval428]

She must be a 1st grade teacher.

[@vickyannpaintingwithoils]

This was fun to watch! Great video!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thanks. I wasn't happy with the picture quality at the beginning and end - I think the light was too dim - it was early morning.

[@vickyannpaintingwithoils]

@@chickensinmygarden Picture quality maybe less than usual, but information and beautiful chickens still great! Love the coop yard!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thanks so much 🙂

[@ScaryFear]

Aww I love your video. I love how you show footage to go with what you talk about and explain. I can't stand when you see an interesting thumbnail and it's just some vain person in the camera the whole time. I love the chicken you painted on the egg box too. And your faverolle is a fluffy sweety. Faverolles are my faves.

[@chickensinmygarden]

She's the only Faverolles I've had. Just watching her walk makes me laugh 😀

[@ScaryFear]

@@chickensinmygarden Faverolles are amazing. Mine follow me around. One comes to the window and looks in every day. And the talk a lot.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Mine isn't very good in the egg department but she contributes in other ways

[@OkikaHawaii]

I’m getting back into chickens since my childhood. I’m also getting a degree in ag so I can eventually be a poultry/avian veterinarian.

[@chickensinmygarden]

That's wonderful! The world needs more chicken vets! They are almost as scarce as hens' teeth 😄 You might be interested in this very intermittent blog from Mike The Chicken Vet mikethechickenvet.wordpress.com/

[@barbsdee3831]

I’m getting 3 Buff Orpingtons in October, I’m so excited. They’ll be about 12 weeks old (pullets). I live in the uk 🇬🇧

[@chickensinmygarden]

How exciting! Orpingtons are such gorgeous chickens! I love their rear ends 😀

[@jenniferc871]

Your faverolle chicken is very cute! She loves to talk. My 2 Ancona chickens are also tame and very talkative.

[@chickensinmygarden]

She is especially cute. But as you know, they are all wonderful 🙂

[@victoriasun6386]

Thanks for the video we have bylines and we get eggs almost every day

[@chickensinmygarden]

Those hy-lines are Laying Machines!

[@chickendotz8366]

Your channel is the best. so imformative

[@chickensinmygarden]

Aww, thank you so much!

[@user-le6mx9gf6z]

Great. Video. Thank you…

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you 🙂

[@nicoleshrout9393]

I just got my first Salmon Faverolle! We love her!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Mine is a couple of years old. She still makes me laugh. And she's probably my friendliest chicken.

[@clerydesigns729]

Thanks so much! Heritage versus hybrid any day although hybrids are so sweet and tragic and readily available. It’s difficult to obtain heritage breeds (at least here in the UK) but worth the effort and travel.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Exactly! Best wishes 🙂

[@duboislegacyfarm]

I’ve learned so much from your channel. Thank you. ❤🐓

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@RichieRich845]

👍 Thank you, that was very informative like all your other videos.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you, and thanks for watching 🙂

[@ItzRyann_]

Hi Sheryl,it's been awhile,thanks for the info it really helps alot 😊

[@chickensinmygarden]

It has been,🙂 I'm behind schedule

[@pseudopetrus]

Love your videos! Thank you so much!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank You!

[@b0n3bag54]

I have a question i was cooking eggs and found a fat white thing in my food after i already ate it is it a worm or like chalaze it was stringy too😢

[@chickensinmygarden]

It sounds like chalazae. The fresher your eggs are the more likely you are to see the chalazae.

[@b0n3bag54]

@@chickensinmygarden Thank you so much I was worrying😖