>>86620
>>86642
Chicken guy here:
Getting chickens only applies if you are buying larger breeds. Standard breeds or, God forbid, bantams, will not produce a proper amount of meat in the type it takes to raise the little fuck. That being said, heritage birds like Hamburgs will live for a long ass fucking time after they've reached adulthood, and are very constant egg-layers so long as you provide them the proper amount of ground to cover. Of course, you have to be careful with most of these birds - they tend to be very flighty, and unless you own a good degree of property, you're just asking to become that one guy whose chickens roam the entire neighborhood like stray cats.
I definitely think that Rhode Island Reds are one of the best birds you can use for meats. They're also incredibly well-tempered, and tend to have a very distinctive, calm personality.
If you plan on going with egg-layers, be sure to grab an Ameraucanas or two: Nothing surprises your friends like actually having green eggs. Then again, the Rhode Island Reds have brown eggs, so that already satisfies that. But green is fancier.
Leghorns also work pretty well, being some of the top layers, and having a good size to them. Their temperament isn't quite as good as some of others, and the eggs are just that standard, bland white. But they're at least reliable: It's why they're used by major factories and producers.
Whatever you do: Do not get meatbirds! The so-called cornish-cross that you find served in stores is a genetically modified cluster-fuck of a chicken. It grows far too rapidly, to the point it will literally collapse upon itself as it ages. If you get them, you can produce large chickens with a shitload of meat - but you'll be lucky to see half of the chicks you bought maturing to that point. Their whole manner of life is also quite sad, even when given land to move around on. They just like to sit around, eat, shit, and sleep. If you love animals, don't touch them with a ten foot pole.
Now, that all being said, I myself, as a person from a rural background, really do love Hamburgs. The neurotic fucks have the most distinctive personalities of any bird, in my opinion, and they're great to raise. The only downside is their size - which brings up another heritage bird, the Dorking. Red Dorkings in particular are rather large, robust birds - if my memory serves, they are one of the breeds which the Rhode Island Red mix comes from. They are white egg layers, and are distinctive for having a fifth toe.
Also, if you ever get really into chickens, or if you live in a city, you can certainly look into bantams. They don't need as much room, and certain breeds like the Dutch seem to be fairly decent layers from my experience. Just don't get fancy banties - Inbreeding does a chicken little good, and a bantam Hamburg or whatever has something like an 75% mortality rate in the first year, assuming they even hatch. What's of particular interest is the eggs themselves - Though smaller by a good deal, there tends to be a greater percentage of yolk.
If you ever plan on having a family, definitely look into raising animals. Nothing prevents liberalism and vegetarian bullshit better than the proper appreciation for life that comes with the first day you butcher a chicken, and offer up a prayer of thanks at the dinner table.