Future breeding project

[Franklinridgefarms]

Have ordered some new chicks from Murray McMurray.
Got a mix of commercial layers (Amber & Red Stars, and Pearl White Leghorns)
Then for more heritage types Buff Orpington
Barred Rocks and Dominiques.
My plan is to try to have and maintain a steadier supply of eggs, by having hopefully some of the BO’s go broody to raise some new replacements coming into the second winter. If I have enough broody hens may even try to sell some chicks.
Right now I have tentatively selected Buff Orpington roosters.
My thinking is that by keeping some pure Orpingtons I can have a new generation of that breed for setting hens.
I’ve also considered Barred Rock Roosters in the sense that if I sell some those that are by BR and Dominique might be more appealing to some or may be better layers than the BO or BO crosses.
I currently have an Australorp Rooster that I like pretty well,
So while I’m thinking Buff Orpington, I’m still bouncing around ideas of possibly going with Australorps, Barred Rocks, or maybe even Amber Star or Red Star roosters.
What’s y’all experience with some of these breeds or crosses?

 

[Iluveggers]

Our Orpington Rooster is the sweetest of them all. He doesn’t mind if we have to pick him up, he’s gentle, and the bottom of the boys pecking order. As much as I love him, he isn’t the smartest chicken. . He is a nice big size, and if we ever had to process him there would be a whole lotta meat. Our other roosters are not any of the breeds you asked about, so I can’t help you there.

 

[Tonyroo]

The barred rocks would be better layers out of your list. But most of the breeds you chose are dual purpose. So there consistent egg laying ability will vary throughout the season. Plus at some point you would want to harvest them.

I took an advice from a member here when I posted a question.
I asked how do I get continuous egg production throughout the season?
Answer was to add new pullets each year in spring and cull the nonprogressive older hens.
So that might be something you can plan for every year. And having a rooster will help replenish your stock.

If you can don't cross the breeds if you ever want to sell hatching eggs in the future.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have experience with crossing Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, & Australorps.
I've actually used them for my first project back in 2018.

 

[Tonyroo]

Do most people realize Australorp is a Australian Orpington?

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Please don't cross the BRs and Dominiques. People keep heritage birds, in many cases, to preserve a small flock of the breed, or to improve the breed, or for other beneficial reasons that production breeds and hybrids may not offer i.e. hardiness, longevity, dual purpose etc.etc.etc.

You can use your Australorp rooster over either of the barred/cuckoo hens to make black sex links, but those would be a terminal cross. You would not be keeping those birds for breeding purposes, so you may want to be able to breed another Australorp cockerel and/or barred hens, or else plan to order those new chicks periodically.

The BO can be bred over white hens (with a silver gene) to make red sex links, however I didn't see you mention a hen that fits that description (Delaware, Columbian / SLWs, Light Sussex, White Plymouth Rocks etc.).

I would do a bit more research before deciding what specific tack you want to take and what breeds or crosses you want to focus on. It sounds like your current plan would give you the ability to breed black sex links, possibly barred rocks, possibly buff Orpingtons, various barnyard mixes, and lots of eggs. There is a lot that goes into flock management if you are going to plan to breed heritage birds, while keeping a mixed flock. It may be beneficial to think through what that may look like for you, practically speaking.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

Lots of good comments, I appreciate everyone’s responses I’m not really looking at a long term breeding program, to try to reinvent the wheel so to speak, just a small scale project to raise our own replacement pullets so I won’t have to buy new ones each year, to fill in the gaps of the older ones molting.
Also if we have a few hens sitting we have thought of selling some of the chicks once we have the numbers we need.
Years ago, I had an Orpington that I let sit on sone eggs that were from white leghorn hens and a Barred Rock rooster. Those resulting chicks were white with an occasional black or gray spot on some individuals and favored the leghorn in size and appearance.
A couple years ago let another Orpington and a New Hampshire hen set and hatch out chicks by lavender Orpington Roosters.
Those chickens were mainly black and lay a decent amount of eggs.
Currently have an Australorp rooster but don’t envision hatching out any chicks this year as we didn’t have anything broody last year and I’ve ordered already.
I’m mulling over different thoughts of what the various crosses of and or straight bred resulting chicks would be.
Disposition is important too, I know all roosters are individuals and have had a few decent ones and a few bad ones, but trying to avoid breeds that are known for having aggressive roosters because even in docile breeds the roosters are still roosters.
I have 6 Buff Orpington pullets on order from MMcM hoping that they will be better birds than the ones I got through Rural King which turned out to be duds, not broody and yet still abysmal egglayers. I like the idea of a breed that can brood replacements. The Orpington crosses from the other breeds should maintain decent egg laying. One of my concerns with them is if they happen to pass on an extreme amount of broodiness it would cut into egg production.
That was where my thoughts of Australorp or Barred Rock roosters came in.
I’ve never had any hens of those breeds be broody and their egg laying ability is better than Orpington. With those breeds I could retain older Orpington hens that were prone to be broody to be able to hatch some more chicks out.
I’ve also kind of wondered about breeds like New Hampshire for roosters, I like those hens real well but the roosters may be more aggravation. Same thing with Amber or Red Star roosters, even though their off spring wouldn’t lay as well as the initial cross, they should still be good layers. My concern with them is that they may be smaller and lighter and more active and aggressive.
This is kind of like chicken math it’s interesting stuff to think about.

 

[Drumming feet]

A Rhode Island red and a rock, good layer. Also I think the sapphire gem are the newer good at laying through the winter. And I think the hedomora lay through the winter.