Can you cross Buff Orpington with Easter Egger?

[cnjtnt]

We have a young pair of EEs that we think may have one turn out to be a rooster. If that does happen, can an EE mate with and produce an offpsring with Buff Orpingtons? That is what most of our current hens are. Or is it more likely that he (assuming it is a he, of course) would favor the other EE?

Here is the thread referenced, along with photos:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=275641

 

[Cuban Longtails]

No... I don't think different breeds of chickens can inter-breed.

On a serious note: EE offspring are some of the cutest and make for wild colors. There is also the chance the daughters would lay green eggs.

 

[farmerlor]

Yes, if you do have an EE roo he will mate with anything that even remotely resembles a chicken. My EE roo has given me some very nice crosses with Austrolorps, Buff Orps, Wyandottes, Andulusians and Rhode Islands.

 

[canada-goose]

Quote:

Don't confuse newbies! Yes, they can interbreed. I bet they'll be pretty!

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

My delaware roo has bred (and we've hatched) crosses with Buff orps, black rocks, blue rocks. So i would say yes, that they could mate and cross, but I have no idea what they would look like

 

[Catstar68]

My rooster would mate with my cat if my cat would sit still for long enough.

He will mate with either one and your EE hen will have 'pure' EE chicks and the BO hen will have EE/BO hybrids. I have the same issue....my roo is an EE and his girls are a mixed bag of hatchery BRs, BOs, EEs, australorps, SLWs. Everyone's chicks would be EE crosses except for the chicks from the EE hens. I'll just shove some blue eggs under the nearest broody BO and have a new batch of EEs running around....or get some eggs from my neighbor's BO hens since she has a BO rooster. Otherwise, it's mutts for me. Or another order to McMurray.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:

Don't confuse newbies!

But it's fun!

 

[cnjtnt]

Quote:

Don't confuse newbies!

But it's fun!

C'mon now. I'm not naive, but it is a legitimate question. There could be some kind of genetic thing that makes the chicks die....like in Araucanas I think. Thanks all for the reply. I guess we'll see if it is a rooster and if we're the mood in a couple years for home hatched eggs (and we have an Oprington go broody).

 

[Phoenixmaine81]

Ooh

Yes, if you do have an EE roo he will mate with anything that even remotely resembles a chicken. My EE roo has given me some very nice crosses with Austrolorps, Buff Orps, Wyandottes, Andulusians and Rhode Islands.

This is so good to know I do have two EE lavender/blue pullets and I have a EE partridge Cockerel .I.have 1 buff orp and 2 austrolorp hens.. have 2 austrolorp Cockerel too.. Should be interesting..I am keeping lineage in my eggers tho with some pures but I am going to try to cross the roo in with my other breeds.. I hope I read it right, above, that is lol..