Are mutts bad?

[banter]

Chicken history is fun-if you read descriptions, the purposeful crosses gave us our foundation breeds. The accidentals gave us more. I would never malign a crossed chicken!

 

[lauralou]

I love my mixed breed hens. Heck, I even ordered some of them on purpose - sex links are mixed breeds, and so are easter eggers. I simply don't hatch any of their eggs.

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

I agree with what most have said here...

One: We wouldn't have a lot of the breeds if it weren't for them being "mutts" to begin with..

and Two: Who cares what others think ...they're YOUR birds, so if YOU enjoy them..

As a side note:
I breed other animals and am somewhat of a "purist" when it comes to "lines" and species, etc. ...but I also have an appreciation for some of the hybrids that I've seen, simply based on the beauty of them. My issues lie with the dishonesty of it all (amongst some) ...and not informing or keeping proper records of crossed/hybridized animals and then passing them off, or selling them, to some unknowing soul. That just isn't right!


*hops off soapbox now*

 

[Nichole77]

OK that makes sense. So If I come across some cool. Even if I breed some, They're my chickens and I just want eggs and cool looking chickens in my yard.

 

[ams3651]

I think people are so concentrated on pure breeds, of any animal. We had mutt dogs as kids, they were never sick, didnt need special feed, ate kitchen scraps out of old pots in the yard. Try to find a mutt dog these days.

As for chickens and how productive they are, wouldnt it kind of depend on what the breeds are? But I have seen some really beautiful mutt roosters on here.

 

[Sonia]

Quote:
All four of my dogs are mutts. Two of which were bred and born right here.


I'm actually PLANNING on breeding mutt chickens...I'm going to cross buff orps with barred rocks. I love mutts. I AM a mutt. We all are if you think about it.

 

[rooster-red]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with mutts.

There is also nothing wrong with wanting to keep pure blood lines.

I have both, and have bred a few mutts on purpose, while also breeding pure blood lines for specific traits and quality.

I love them both.

I have to point out one thing though, eggs are eggs no matter if they come from mutts or pures, they all taste the same.

As long as you are happy with your chickens, that is all that matters.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Good to hear. I had a fox get 7 of my 11 laying hens. Ironically, I had an Elementary school teacher ask if I could provide some eggs for hatching. I gave her all that were layed the day the girls were killed and then some from the next couple of days. I have 11 mutts. Patridge Rock Dad and the moms are Buff Orpington, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red, and Black Jersey Giants. They are two weeks old and it is so cool to try to figure out "So who was your mom???"

 

[Guitartists]

I don't think mutts is a concern in chickens like it can be with dogs or cats..... after all, if chickens started to overpopulate... we could just have a big ole' chicken bbq!

I'm planning on breeding my share of unique little pet quality mutts!

I LOVE surprises

 

[GwenFarms]

I have some mutt chickens that are crossed splashed games and black tailed japs. They were bred from my yard chickens, which are used to clean up behind the horses. They are just running around the fields, but do a great job and what they do. As far as laying, since they aren't bred for laying you won't get eggs from them like you will from a hen bred for it. The same goes for meat birds. While they dress out nice as young birds you get the amount of meat from them as you will from chickens bred for it. If you just want pets, or yard birds they will work as good as the next .