Breed Crosses

[hillbily]

Hi, I have a few breeds I want to cross hopefully to get some good meat chickens that grow reasonably fast, so what can I expect from these crosses, Barred Plymouth rock X Jersey Giant, Barred Plymouth rock X black sex link, Barred Plymouth rock X large Cochin, Jersey Giant X black sex link, Jersey Giant X large Cochin, Jersey Giant X ISA brown/Cinnamon queen, Large Cochin X Jersey Giant, Large Cochin X Black sex link, Large Cochin X ISA brown/ Cinnamon queen. I know its a lot, any input would be appreciated I am especially curious if the Cochin crosses would grow fast or slow like the Cochin. Thanks.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

To simplify response, I'll just say remove all the sex link birds, especially the ISA and Cinnamon (essentially red sex links) as they are NOT meat heavy. They are bred for egg production, not body carcass. You will lighten the carcass quite a bit. If you want to try to get a dual purpose, then you will lighten the carcass of the Giant but *might* increase egg production...but sex links don't necessarily breed forward their power laying.

Instead, I'd recommend to stick with a heavy bird like your Jersey Giants to maybe the Plymouth Rock. You'd likely get a fairly decent carcass with a reasonable growth speed and likely increase the Giants laying ability.

Not sure with the Cochin question. It should produce a nice carcass. Not sure on speed. (I've only raised bantam Cochins). Jersey will slow it down, but largely due to its massive size.

My thoughts
LofMc

 

[hillbily]

Thanks.

 

[Witness316]

I just bred a large blue cochin with a cinnamon queen, I'm hoping a bigger layer with maybe some reduction of egg production. They just hatched. They were tough to hatch, we lost two in egg pre hatching stage and we lost another in hatch stage. We had everything right as I've just hatched a few full bred cochins, it was just tough to get these to hatch. I have another 6 hatching in a few days. When all is hatched, I'll post a pic and give an update as to how many we hatched vs lost.

 

[Witness316]

Well out of 6 eggs scheduled to hatch by now, it appears we have lost two. They havent hatched. One was scheduled this past Sunday, another was scheduled on Tuesday. The 7/1 hybrid hatched with force. We are doing an egg autopsy to see what stopped the hatching from taking place on the two eggs that have yet hatched. We have two more hatching within the next 24 hours supposedly and two more hybrid eggs hatching Monday and tuewsday. So far we have two black and one white chick. I'll keep yall posted.

Also my Georgia Giant Bob Whites pipped this afternoon. I may have questions if it gets complicated.