Crossing a Plymouth BR with a Buff BR?

[mtnviewfarms]

Anyone have any experience with this kind of cross? I just wondered if it would be
possible to get a BR that is barred with the buff and white vs. the blk & wht barring.

I have 3 PBR roos and 24 PBR hens and will be selectively breeding them for increased
egg production and other qualities of BRs that we find positive for our homestead
needs.

I realize my question about crossing a buff with a PBR is probably 'breeding heresy'
but putting it out there anyway.............just shoot me!

 

[TigerLilly]

I guess it might be heresy to some hard core dyed-in-the-wool chicken folk, but personally, I think it would look awesome. I have both--BR for egg-laying prolificness (?), BO because they're beautiful. Cant help you as far as the genetics or experience go, but I say go for it!

 

[Illia]

Yes, it is possible, but - Do you mean a Buff Orpington to use it? Your title confuses me.



Also, it isn't breeding heresy at all. How do you think we get Lavender Araucanas, or Mottled Silkies, or Isabel patterned Brahmas?

Just keep in mind, if you want a Buff Barred Rock, you need to breed to the Rock Standard. Build the barn before you paint it! If you just want a buff barred chicken that lays plenty eggs though, then it doesn't matter whatever you do.

Also, there are already Buff Rocks out there, so it is best you use those instead of Orpingtons. And if you really want a Buff Barred Rock, best to use good quality birds, not hatchery birds. If you notice, most Barred Rocks look identical to Buff Orpingtons if you took away the color, because that's what hatcheries do. . . Breed everything down to one goal, which in turn makes them all kinda the same looking in body shape.

 

[mtnviewfarms]

I thought I was clear in my question I said I want to cross a PBR with a Buff BR - not a BO.

Thank you for your replys and I hope someone who knows about the genetics will tell me if
I need to breed a Buff BR male on PBR hen or vice versa to get the buff and white barring on
the chicks or at least some of the offspring of such a pairing.

This is such a great forum!

 

[punky rooster]

Are you talking Buff Barred Plymouth Rocks crossed with Barred Rocks, or Buff Plymouth Rocks crossed with a Barred Plymouth Rock?

Barred is a variety of Plymouth Rocks (the breed), as is Buff. . . That's at least what I see as the confusion. I may be incorrect.
Mitch

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
You know if you would drop all the abbreviation mess it would make things a whole lots easier.

Assuming by "Buff BR" you mean "Buff Barred Rock" (which there is no such variety of Plymouth Rock)

Crossing a Barred Plymouth Rock Rooster over a Buff Barred Hen would give you all Black Barred offspring
Crossing a Buff Barred Rooster over a Barred Plymouth Rock Hen would give you mostly Black Barred offspring with a few solid Black Hens
Crossing a Barred Plymouth Rock Rooster over a Buff Hen would give you all Black Barred offspring
Crossing a Buff Rooster over a Barred Plymouth Rock Hen would give you Black Barred males and Solid Black females.

Chris

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Yes, but let me get this cleared for ya - BR stands for Barred Rock. There is no current such thing is a Buff Barred Rock. I think what you're looking for is a Buff Rock. The breed name is a Plymouth Rock, not a Barred Plymouth Rock

Barred is just a color variety. So, thus, it would be BR x BR (buff rock, barred rock)

Putting that confusion past -


Crossing a Buff Rock and a Barred Rock is a start. The first generation chicks will just be "mutt" colored though. Depending on who's Buff, who's Barred (mom or dad) the male or both gender offspring will be barred. Take the barred offspring, and cross to a Buff again, and continue on from there, keep going Buff with Buff x Barred birds, until you have a proper Buff Barred bird. It takes some experience though, since the Buff color is actually comprised of a lot of genes, while straight Barring is just E/E and Barring. Thus with each generation there is more and more to look out for, such as birds missing important genes to express the Buff color (columbian, mahogany, dilute, darkbrown, wheaten, etc)

But as usual, I say, remember - Breed for TYPE too. Get parents that are good quality and good weight, and go from there. If your roosters don't weigh 7 lbs or more, that's a problem. If your hens have tails that look pointed, that's a problem. Also make sure to go for good barring. The crisper the barring, the better it appears on your future Buff Barred birds.

 

[mtnviewfarms]

Sorry for the confusion and all the abbreviations too. I am talking about pairing a Buff Rock and
a Barred Rock toward the eventual goal of getting chickens that would be barred with the buff and white
pattern.

Thank you for clarifying this for me. It sounds like my idea is 'doable' but probably would require a much
more advanced level of chicken genetic expertise than I now possess.

I'm always learning though and it is good to know that it can be done.

 

[gjensen]

From what I see, it is difficult to achieve good barring in buff and red. I have never seen a "Redbar" hen with good barring. I have seen barred buff and red birds but never with good barring.

 

[tadkerson]

Barred rock x Buff Rock

This cross will produce black/barred birds that have white on their hackles , upper breast and onto the back. The head may or may not be white.

As stated in the previous post. white barring on buff would be difficult to see. The barring gene will change a dark red mahogany hen to a buff color.


Normal color of rhode island red

Sister that is barred

Tim