There are many different reasons as to why people enjoy cross breeding chickens; Egg production, showing, creating broiler birds, fancy colors, etc. My particular reasons to cross breed may vary... I try to create new colors and advanced genetics... all while aiming for a better selection of layers.
So far, I've tried up to fourth generation mixes. I plan to stop after the fifth, not wanting to harm my birds by over-breeding. Albeit this, I've noticed with my current mixes that they've gotten healthier when mixed to an even stronger breed.
Here's the story of my journey...
A few years back, I found a free rooster on Craigslist. He was a Delaware/Dorking cross (both breeds of his heritage being wonderful birds). I took him in- and he became my head rooster. Once fixing him up to be a healthier bird, I figured that, by appearance and genetics, his mother was a Delaware and father a silver gray Dorking. This rooster, later named Raphael, had a single comb and five toes. He was a strong bird that could even fly vertically. He was gentle with the hens- adjusting to the new home with ease. Though Raphael had been a timid bird, he never once tried to attack a person.
After a year of having him in my flock, I cross-bred him to one of my New Hampshire hens. His first offspring hatched beneath a hen. The offspring had 5 toes, looking like a little Delaware chick, and was a strong little bird. When she was older, her immune system began to weaken as though she were a broiler bird. She gained some extra weight, making her slower. I know her history of Delaware may have been like this... but I didn't expect it to show. Then, I discovered with a history of the New Hampshire, that the breed is more sensitive in health issues. Understanding this- I didn't use the breed to cross again for the time being.
In the near future, I crossed Raphael to a couple of Buff Brahma hens. Two chicks had hatched, both being beautiful and healthy. In the future, one was a pullet and one was a cockerel. The cockerel became a handsome rooster, Magnum, in which appears to look like his father... but with more black in his feathers. He was a couple of pounds larger, had a pea comb and feathered legs. The hen almost looked laced- which resembled some of the hackle feathers from a Dorking. She had a pea comb, 4 toes also.
5 toes didn't take dominant for some reason.
Magnum became my best rooster, a very gentle bird, never aggressive, healthy... he's even my little buddy. The hen was slightly nervous, but a good egg layer.
I crossed Raphael to a Brahma twice more, figuring that the cross was a very healthy addition to have. It was once again successful. I hatched another rooster and a hen. The hen is very strong and a very good egg layer. I used the rooster to breed- but he later became aggressive and we had to re-home him. Here, below, is the hen named Sonia.
(And a slightly blurred photo of Merthaniah to the right).
Lastly of Magnum's offspring, is Woody & Buster. Two young cockerels I most recently hatched. They are Delaware/Dorking/Buff Brahma/Speckled Sussex. Woody is stunning- the brown one with silver. Buster needs to be tamed, though. They both have feathered legs. Woody, amazingly has a single comb. Not even modified.
Flint's Offspring List
Though Flint turned out to be a nasty rooster, I unintentionally bred him. A hen secretively went broody and stayed nesting long enough to have hatched a chick. The mother hen disliked the chick, so, I had to make the chick a house bird until she grew big enough. Bindi, here, is a Delaware/Dorking/Buff Brahma/Black Australorp with feathered legs and a pea comb. She almost looks penciled- and her colors amaze me.
So far, I've tried up to fourth generation mixes. I plan to stop after the fifth, not wanting to harm my birds by over-breeding. Albeit this, I've noticed with my current mixes that they've gotten healthier when mixed to an even stronger breed.
Here's the story of my journey...
Raphael's Offspring List
A few years back, I found a free rooster on Craigslist. He was a Delaware/Dorking cross (both breeds of his heritage being wonderful birds). I took him in- and he became my head rooster. Once fixing him up to be a healthier bird, I figured that, by appearance and genetics, his mother was a Delaware and father a silver gray Dorking. This rooster, later named Raphael, had a single comb and five toes. He was a strong bird that could even fly vertically. He was gentle with the hens- adjusting to the new home with ease. Though Raphael had been a timid bird, he never once tried to attack a person.
After a year of having him in my flock, I cross-bred him to one of my New Hampshire hens. His first offspring hatched beneath a hen. The offspring had 5 toes, looking like a little Delaware chick, and was a strong little bird. When she was older, her immune system began to weaken as though she were a broiler bird. She gained some extra weight, making her slower. I know her history of Delaware may have been like this... but I didn't expect it to show. Then, I discovered with a history of the New Hampshire, that the breed is more sensitive in health issues. Understanding this- I didn't use the breed to cross again for the time being.
In the near future, I crossed Raphael to a couple of Buff Brahma hens. Two chicks had hatched, both being beautiful and healthy. In the future, one was a pullet and one was a cockerel. The cockerel became a handsome rooster, Magnum, in which appears to look like his father... but with more black in his feathers. He was a couple of pounds larger, had a pea comb and feathered legs. The hen almost looked laced- which resembled some of the hackle feathers from a Dorking. She had a pea comb, 4 toes also.
5 toes didn't take dominant for some reason.
Magnum became my best rooster, a very gentle bird, never aggressive, healthy... he's even my little buddy. The hen was slightly nervous, but a good egg layer.
I crossed Raphael to a Brahma twice more, figuring that the cross was a very healthy addition to have. It was once again successful. I hatched another rooster and a hen. The hen is very strong and a very good egg layer. I used the rooster to breed- but he later became aggressive and we had to re-home him. Here, below, is the hen named Sonia.
Magnum's Offspring List
I had cross-bred Magnum to three different Salmon Faverolles. The mixing lead to different varieties- all three being wonderful egg layers. I must say, my best. Fives toes was an obviously dominant trait... along with the beard. Two of the mixes have single combs, the other having a pea comb.
(And a slightly blurred photo of Merthaniah to the right).
Lastly of Magnum's offspring, is Woody & Buster. Two young cockerels I most recently hatched. They are Delaware/Dorking/Buff Brahma/Speckled Sussex. Woody is stunning- the brown one with silver. Buster needs to be tamed, though. They both have feathered legs. Woody, amazingly has a single comb. Not even modified.
Flint's Offspring List
