Can I cross a br and a bbw?

[The new chick 2]

I would like to know if its possible. And what kind of diet should the bbw be on?

 

[canesisters]

With the right bridge building material, you can cross just about anything.

 

[Frosty]

Quote:

You can cross them if the BBW is a hen... Broad Breasted toms are to big to get close enough to make contact and would possibly seriously injure a hen if he tried. I feed mine a mix of oats, corn and flock raiser with veggies and fruit thrown in when it's available. I try to free range as much as possible when the ground isn't covered in snow and feed them very little while they are free range so they get plenty of exercise while they are foraging. I think that part is most important during their first year while they are rapidly growing. The BBW that we are doing this year are well filled out and at 6 months old I think the tom will dress around 25 pounds and the hens around 15.

I have one hen that I kept from last year to cross with my White Hollands, too much rain and mud got in the way for that so I'll try again next year. While she does waddle some when she walks, she has no difficulty getting around and does not seem uncomfortable.

 

[The new chick 2]

Thanks for the info Frosty. My bbw is a hen. Hopefully I can keep her healthy throughout the winter. I'm looking forward to little chicks running around my yard in the spring.

 

[Frosty]

You might need to take the eggs away from her and either put them under another bird or incubate them yourself. As heavy as the hens are, she might break the eggs...

We did our 6 month old BBWs today, the tom was lighter than I expected at 20.2 pounds and the hens a bit heavier at 17 - 18 pounds.

 

[Arielle]

I had intended the same set up but I decided to wait til next year and put all the BBW in the freezer. The hens were 22. 24 and 24 1/2 pounds; the toms 36 pounds at about 5 months.

I let them walk around but clearly they received too much food and not enough exercise to be kept for breeding. Perhaps next time I will let a hen or 2 run with the BR poults. THe silly things dash from here to there and back again. That should keep a BBW hen slim and not bulk up.

 

[Frosty]

Your smallest hen at 5 months old was about 2 pounds heavier than my tom at 6 months... I actually got this bunch a few weeks earlier than I usually get them. I could tell... we were pulling out a lot of fat.