Cross breeding ?

[Keno]

I'm new to this chicken ranching and have a question of cross breeding. I have Jersey Giants and Light Brahmas and am planning on keeping a couple roosters of each and several hens of each. Is their a problem if there is cross breeding between the two other than not being a pure strain ? I was planning on using the offspring for meat and eggs .

 

[MissPrissy]

Jersey Giants are not worth their weight in meat as far as I am concerned. They grow very slow, eat tons of feed and are late to produce eggs. If you want meat buy the cornish crosses, feed them 8 - 10 weeks and put them in your freezer. You'll have to grow those jersey's to 15 - 20 weeks and still get a very thinly meated bird who eats more feed than you can justify. By that age they'll be tough and only good for stewing.

 

[pdsavage]

What you want is a duel purpose chicken if you want meat and eggs,but dont want cornish type chickens.
I have selveral duel purpsose breeds and realy like them.
If you want to cross breed them there should be no proublem.As long as you dont have to many rooster to hen ratio.i belive its one rooster to about 8-10 hens.
Of course that means we will need to see pictures of the offspring.

 

[Kanchii]

A better dual purpose breed would probably be a rock. They make fine table birds I hear, and lay very well!

 

[Keno]

Well a dual porpose is what I am wanting . I see a vote against the Giant ,but how about the Light Brahmas ?
On the breed chart at one of the hatchery sites show both the Brahmas and Giants as dual purpose .This is getting confusing.

 

[goldensunriseranch]

Those breeds might be able to be used as dual purpose, but it's just that there are more suitable birds that suit those purposes better. Grow faster, lay faster and/or lay more consistently etc.

 

[austinhart123]

Quote:
Brahmas arent the best layers, but when they do, they lay a beautiful big brown egg. i would go with slower growing cornish and rhode island reds.