Cross Breeding: A over B or B over A--is there a difference?

[matte]

Without getting into feather color/markings, can someone explain how the results will vary from cross breeding a rooster from breed A over a hen from breed B and vice versa? I've read conflicting info on this. I've read that "type" more reliably comes from the hen. Others say that if breeding for meat, use the "meatier" breed for the roo. Similarly, I've read conflicting statements about crossing two different breeds for egg production.

 

[mylittlezoo]

I've often wondered this.

 

[nzpouter]

yes, it can be different.... some genes are sex-linked.

 

[matte]

Quote:
Outside of color, what genes are they? And, linked to which sex?

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Yea, what they said!

 

[blackdotte]

Dwarfism is sex linked. If you are asking about meat birds & layers, the answer is probably yes but the commercial firms keep the knowledge secret .
David

 

[rittert3]

Color is the big one that is sex linked, I'm pretty good with genetics and how they work, but I don't know a whole lot about the specific genes so I'll leave that to someone else.

 

[Henk69]

sex-linked is always the same mechanism.

There is no sex-linked to males or females.

Male chickens have 2 sex-chromosomes (Z/Z) and females only 1 (Z/w or Z/-).

Therefor all the sex-chromosomes of the daughters come from the rooster and their mother can not contribute a sexlinked trait.

One of five people found this link helpfull:
http://kippenjungle.nl/basisEN.htm#sxlinkEN

 

[matte]

Okay, let's get away from talking about sex-linked traits. If they are the answer to my original question, then I don't understand the answer anyway. Let's say that I'm wanting to cross two pure heritage breeds of significantly different body type (size and type are my biggest concern) and significantly different laying ability, i.e. one is a large-breasted breed that does not lay nearly as well, and one is a great-laying breed, but not nearly as meaty/heavy. (again, please ignore plumage in your answer)

Which breed would I want to use the rooster from and which breed the hen? Why?
If you can answer without using genetics terms, even better. Is there a practical "rule" that the fathering breed will usually "override" the mothering breed on some traits and vice versa?

 

[Chris09]

I think you could get a better answer if you just say what 2 breed you are going to use. Are you crossing a Buckeye and a Red (Rhode Island Red) or a Red with a Rock?

Chris