mixed breeds...Good layers?

I love breeding my own birds. My avatar EE roo throws some very nice chicks. I got a nice group of black sex linked green egg layers last year (EE x Dominique). Plan is to get some Dom chicks next spring to carry forward with the BSL chicks. My base flock is bred from Rose comb brown leg horn, Dominique, EE, Pioneer. This spring, I added some chicks from shipped eggs. IMO, home bred chicks over time will result in a flock of birds that are specifically adapted to your environment. By setting the best eggs from your best hens, over time, you will end up with better hens and better eggs. Also, in order to improve your flock, it's important to have a cull program in place. Remove the birds that are not performing well or that don't meet your flock criteria.

Wow! I'm getting such great information. Thank you! You're right about the Orpington being good brooders. I had one that brooded all summer and raised two batches of chicks. One of them wasn't even hers, she just took them over for me. I think I will keep her for a future broody. It is SO much easier than doing it myself. Also, I noticed that spot coloring you mentioned with the Barred rocks. I never had a chance to see if my hypothesis was correct in terms of gender as a fox got many of my chicks earlier this summer. The only one that made it was a cockerel, but I have nothing else to compare him to. And now he has gone to (as another poster put it) freezer camp.

I do have a cull program in place, but only as they age. I don't have enough time to spend out in the yard to determine who laid what egg and where. Also, I currently have an egg eater (or many) that I can't catch so that also makes it hard to know how many eggs a day I am truly getter and who laid them. But thanks for all that info about breeding. If I can narrow it down to who is a good layer and who isn't I can see how it will be a huge benefit. I like the sounds of a flock that is well adapted to my environment (Northern New Mexico=hot, hot, hot and dry).

HaHaHa "Freezer Camp." I have never heard that before. I love it! I'm going to have to remember that one, especially for when I'm talking to my non-farming friends. Sounds so much better than "processing" or "culling."

We got our flock from a local organic family farm, they sell eggs to everyone in the are and know their stuff when it comes to birds. They have been breeding birds for years and have become a great source of information for us. They have mixed flocks that they hatch and have successfully created birds that lay well, and do very well in our local climate here in Southern Maryland. Our girls are all good layers and have great variations of color. We have one sicilian buttercup rooster from the same folks. It will be neat to see what kind of chicks we get next year! Good luck with your flock.

You already got a lot of great answers but I wanted to add that it also depends on the parents. Just because they are supposedly great laying breeds doesn't always mean they will lay well. That depends on the bird. And just because you mix two and make a production laying hybrid, like sex links for example, doesn't mean they will automatically be great layers just because of the name if the parent stock are poor layers. On that same note, even breeding only one breed, you could still have poor layers or great layers and the mixes could potentially be better layers. So I'd definitely try to find out who is the best layer and breed from them. If they're all laying about the same, it shouldn't really matter too much, but if you have one that isn't really laying at all or as well or one that's laying really well then breed or don't breed from those. But yeah , the mixes should lay well but it depends on parents.

Also I don't think color really matters too much or makes a difference. IMO it's much like yellow, chocolate, and black Labrador Retrievers (dogs). They're all still Labs.

With your location, I'd concentrate on the Leghorns and Aussies. They're both more heat tolerant breeds. Doesn't mean ignore the others, but I'd set more eggs from those hens overall.

rssnbabybear said:

I do have a cull program in place, but only as they age. I don't have enough time to spend out in the yard to determine who laid what egg and where. Also, I currently have an egg eater (or many) that I can't catch so that also makes it hard to know how many eggs a day I am truly getter and who laid them. But thanks for all that info about breeding. If I can narrow it down to who is a good layer and who isn't I can see how it will be a huge benefit. I like the sounds of a flock that is well adapted to my environment (Northern New Mexico=hot, hot, hot and dry).

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You might want to increase the protein of your flock. Either by adding some animal protein, some cat kibble, or switching up to a Multi-flock and offering oyster shell on the side. Often when you supply the extra protein that the flock is craving, the egg quality improves, and the egg eating stops. And even if you are giving layer, try adding the oyster shell on the side in addition to the layer. As for birds that thrive in warmer weather, my rule of thumb is this: Mediterranean breeds, and other birds with large combs do better in hot climates, while my preference for birds in my cold climate is for birds with small combs/wattles.