anyone have any cross breeds? (my pictures added)

[redneckgirl]

hey, I was wondering if crossbreeds lay as good , or have as good meat quality than pure bred chickens?

also, if you have pictures, it would be great...

 

[chickens112]

Cross breeds usually do better than the pure breed bc they have traits from both of the pure breed chickens. That is what the commercial meat birds are. They are crosses between a Rock and a Cornish and that is why they grow so fast and have a lot of meat.

 

[Black Feather]

Actually, commercial meat birds were originally a cross between a Cornish and a Plymouth Rock. They do not do a straight up cross anymore. The bloodlines have been refined to the point that they could probably be considered a breed within themselves.

The quality of your cross breeds will of course depend on the quality of their parents. If they are a cross of egg laying breeds then they will make good egg layers, but not as good meat producers. The same it true the other way around. You tend to get hybrid vigor when you deal with mix breeds as well.

The best thing with mix breeds is they come in all colors of the rainbow

UC

 

[Rooster-Spur]

Most off my chickens are Crossbreed. They lay wonderfully and are good meat wise. In my opinion Mixbreeds are better if you are not gonna show them. Production wise for meat and eggs crossbreed is better depending upon the breeds crossed.

 

[davidb]

people cross breed to get better chickens for meat or eggs

 

[dacjohns]

I have a bunch of mutts that right now are laying better than my other hens. There are pictures of them in the mascots thread with Beaker. Junior is the rooster with them.

 

[ella]

I didn't know the meat birds are not a really a cross breed anymore. Do you mean the strains of Cornish and Plymouth Rock that they use aren't really the same as the Cornish or White Rocks you get at a hatchery?

They can't breed the actual meat birds can they? Don't they usually die before reaching sexual maturity? They get so big so fast I didn't think they could reproduce effectively.

edit: Spose I should actually contribute to the thread

My mixed breed chickens are as good or better than the parents when it comes to eggs. I haven't ever butchered but my Buff Orp crosses are huge, even the females.

 

[Chef]

Yes they can. I have three right now that are 9 months and the roo gets it done. You can take a look at them in the meat birds forum under Check out these MONSTERS! The roo weights over 20 pounds! They have layed only a few eggs but we will see if they make it to spring.

Cheers!
Chef

 

[silkiechicken]

The commercial meat birds have two parent strains. A strain of rocks which are nothing like the hatchery rocks, and a strain of cornish that are nothing like hatchery cornish. Together they make the eggs you buy at the store, so the cornish x don't really breed true, but will still make larger birds.

 

[americana-chick]

i have many "mutts" and just a few pure breeds. i would have to say my mutts are much better looking, have more ft on em', and lay well in both hot and cold wheather. what kind of pictures would you like?????


anyone know how long cornish X rock are suppose to live? thanks!
~Bri