Crossing a leghorn exbat hen with mille fleur bantam roo, worth it?

[bahamabanty]

I have some mille fleur bantams in the incubator. Would it be worth it to keep a rooster to cross with one of my leghorns, to basically create a pretty layer? Or is it not as easy as I think.

Parent flock on picture. Would the cross have any mille fleur feathering?

 

[Kelsie2290]

If your leghorns are the regular commercial white leghorn, they are usually dominant white, so all the chicks turn out basically white with a few flecks of color here or there......

 

[bahamabanty]

Thanks, would they lay well, or be more broody like bantams?

 

[enola]

I am on my fourth generation of pullets from the original cross of a black Araucana rooster and a white leghorn hen. The chicks this year 'finally' have a' mottled' look.

 

[Kelsie2290]

I've never crossed a d'Uccle with a White Leghorn, but the Leghorn crosses I have done with other breeds that are broody, the offspring will occasionally go broody, but not often and they are not usually really "good" broodys (they aren't that dedicated and are easy to break)... they are quite good layers, not as good as the Leghorns but better than mom (mostly because they don't go broody as often)... the eggs are usually nice sized also.... basically if you are looking for a mixed Layer and aren't worried about meat, a Leghorn is hard to beat.

 

[bahamabanty]

Sounds good, I might keep a rooster around then.