Cross Breeding For The New and improved.... Join the Group!

[chickenclarence]

My dilemma;

Years ago I ordered Brown Rose Comb Leghorns. They laid a lot of large to extra large eggs. I ordered only pullets so every couple of years I order new pullets to replace my older hens. The breed is changing. The rose comb is getting larger and higher (I prefer a comb that fits tighter to the head), and laying fewer and smaller eggs, I have not had an extra large egg from my leghorns in years. I suspect that breeders are breeding for show not service (I hope that makes sense).
The last time I ordered Leghorn chicks I ordered five male chicks. I only have one rooster left, and he is not the one I had planned to save, as he has the largest comb of the bunch, but he did not attack my wife or try to take on someone’s dog... He has fathered three of my current hens; one is a good layer the other two are so/so…

My goal;

My wife likes white eggs and I like chickens with rose combs… so my goal is a Leghorn with a rose comb that fits tight to the head with improved egg size and number of eggs laid.

My question to your group;

Where should I start?

 

[Kristian]

Ok lets see if I can help. My first question is if you have any of the original leghorns left?, My second would be is it that the hatchery is trying to pass on a certain gene? My third question is if you have tried to checking around other hatchery's or feed store's around your area for that type of physical charecteristic to pass on to your flock?

I think that the physical feature that you want out of them is probable a less dominate gene that has been bread out of the pullets that you aquired at the hatchery. If im correct about that then you would probable have to breed the genes back into your own flock again by aquiring every now and then some roo's with the qualities you are looking for or if you dont mind making a hybrid we can check out some other white egg layers with smaller rose combs and more dominant gene in that mater, hopefully not altering the egg size, egg laying amount or any physical feature. Practice makes perfect.

Tell me on what would you rather do and ill tell you tomorow my opinions and if i can help? Ill see you tomorow becouse im falling asleep already zzzzzzzzz bye.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

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Well I think for you the path is very clear, you already know and have the breed you want, now you have to breed selectively; keeping only those that have the best combs and lay the best . . . and not just completely turning over your stock every couple of years. With Leghorns this will mean getting an incubator, hatching every egg from the ones with traits you like, and then culling culling culling.
Where do you buy from? Is it the same place every time?

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

This is the thread to "my breed" I'll move the info over to here and post an updated pic tomorrow. Please check it out!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=288894&p=1
I have about 12 that hatched today, something like 6 two weekers and 9 three weekers. All are hatched copper color, but the three weekers are turning a buttery buff . . . verrrrry cool!

 

[Illia]

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Can I just say, again, that your buff roo is SOO DREAMY!!?

 

[Kristian]

Well good luck with the new members of your flock.
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[Freeholder]

I'm planning to start a project -- waiting for my chicks to come. It's not quite the same as yours, as I won't be breeding exclusively for high egg production, although eggs are certainly an important part of my goal. What I want:

good, efficient egg production
some broodiness
pea or rose combs (our winters can get cold)
decent meat production from surplus or cull birds
Mille Fleur coloring

I'm going to start with some Mille Fleur Leghorns and Buckeyes from Sand Hill. We'll see if I can get anything close to my goal from that cross; if need be, I'll cross in something else, although at this point I'm not sure what.

Kathleen

 

[Kristian]

Well Wellcome and I hope that we can be good friends and reach our goal with each others help.

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[Kristian]

When are the chicks due to come?
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[Freeholder]

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I think they'll be coming on or around the 25th of this month, but I haven't heard anything from Sand Hill yet (and they do e-mail when they send your chicks off).

Kathleen