Barred Rock rooster x black australorp

[caseebeths]

If I breed my Barred Rock rooster with a black australorp hen will all offspring have barring and look like a barred rock? ?

 

[donrae]

Pretty much, yes. Your hens will be colored like a regular barred rock pullet, and you roosters will also be that same darker barred color. Pure barred rock roosters are lighter in color since they get one barring gene from each parent. Your males will only have one, so will be the darker color. Means you can't sex them by the size of the head spot or the color as they feather in, you'll have to wait for combs, etc.

 

[caseebeths]

Ok thanks! !

 

[ehatch]

I have the just the opposite: black australorp roo & barred hens. Same outcome?

 

[donrae]

I have the just the opposite: black australorp roo & barred hens. Same outcome?

Nope, you'll get sex link chicks

. Males will have a white/cream spot on their head and feather out barred. Females will have solid black heads and feather out solid black.

 

[ehatch]

Thanks! Have you had them before? If so what did/do you think? Seems like it would be a good combination. Southern Oregon is a beautiful place

 

[donrae]

Australorps are one breed I've never had. I like more color in my birds and have never been drawn to the solid black

I have nothing against them, I believe they're wonderful birds, but I like the visual variety. Eye candy is part of my birds' purposes in life! If you aren't pretty, you don't stay here long.

 

[Oakdale Farm]

We have a couple of black Australorp hens in our flock. They, too, are eye candy. The feathers are not really black. They are dark dark green. When the light reflects off them, the colors just 'shimmy' like a duck's feathers or a wild turkey's feathers. Really pretty. Plus, they are terrific egg layers and they are very gentle birds. Hardy for us in severe winters. If you can only see Australorps from a distance, then they are just black chickens. If you can be closer, you'll really appreciate their colors.

 

[chickkrakidd]

If I breed my Barred Rock rooster with a black australorp hen will all offspring have barring and look like a barred rock? ?

Since the offspring of a BR X BA would be barred, what if you bred the barred offspring with each other? Would their offspring be barred as well?

 

[donrae]

Since the offspring of a BR X BA would be barred, what if you bred the barred offspring with each other? Would their offspring be barred as well?

Oh, it's early for genetic math...

the cockerels from the cross above would only have one barring gene. Half his offspring would get a barring gene, regardless of gender.
the pullets from the above cross would have one barring gene, and barred females only pass a gene to their male offspring.

You'd get 25% pure/double barred males
25% single barred males
25% single barred females
25% non barred females