Crossing Breeds for Experimentation?

[lazypifarm]

Hi! I have kept a small backyard flock for about three years, just hens since we are in the suburbs. We are planning to move to a house with some land next year, which means MORE CHICKENS! And a ROOSTER! I am so excited about it, I just love chickens! My husband says "I love you and all your silly birds." He is very understanding of the obsession.

But if I have a rooster, that means there can be CHICKS! I have gone round and round on what breed I'd like to keep, and the leaders of the pack are Ameraucanas, BC Marans, other Marans, Wyandottes, Jersey Giants, Turkens and Cochins (for the lols, as they say.) I know it is true with dogs, horses and the like that crossing breeds and making extra babies is not a responsible thing to do, just because you want babies. The same is not true for chickens, right? I have NEVER had a problem selling the chicks, the few times I have incubated a clutch. And with extra room, I could always keep the chicks until they matured, and we could eat them. Not exactly cost effective, but it would be a balm to my troubled mind - I hate the way factory chickens are treated, I would rather eat our own, who had a wonderful chicken-ish life, even if they are way more expensive to raise. So, I don't have any "this is irresponsibly creating more chickens without homes" the way it happens with dogs and horses, right?

So with that concern out there ... I like Ameraucanas for the blue and green eggs, BCMs for the chocolate eggs, BCM/Ameraucana crosses for the olive eggs, Jersey Giants for their size, Wyandottes for the laced colors and personalities, and Turkens and Cochins because they are hilarious looking. I love the frizzled guys! Is there any reason NOT the cross them, and see what comes out of the cross? A green-egg laying, frizzles, laced, naked-necked chicken would be really cool!

Any feedback appreciated! Thanks, guys!

 

[stephanie1992]

i think u shouls cross a turken and a cochin. and ameracana and a turken. and a JG and a cochin, and a Jg and Turken!! i would sooo order eggs from thos crosses! lol

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Alot of folks will cringe at cross-breeding, but the way I see it, they all derived from cross-breeding, or we wouldn't have so many varieties. I don't cross-breed, cause I'm breeding for SQ. If you want to,.... more power to ya!

 

[bigb-71]

i have a turken and cochin cross she is a very cool bird her dad was a bantam white cochin and her mom was a red buff colored turken she turned out looking like a cochin with no feathers on her neck and she is all black

cross make some of the coolest birds for a back yard flock .

 

[Lurken Turken]

We really enjoy mixing up our chickens..we call them frankinchickens. And turkens really are the best!

 

[bantiehen]

i have a pyncheon hen and did have a Mille Fleur D'uccle crossed them and got pynafleurs. They are red but their feathering looks like their mom's feathers. They have feathered legs and feet

cute

 

[henney penny]

Buff orpington daddy and faverolle mom

 

[slim1986]

I'd say go for it! A chicken is a chicken in the since that most people will buy a chicken regardless of its breeding because all chickens lay eggs, where as people get dogs or horses for what breed it is, ya see? There is a concern that cross breeding will wipe out certain threatened breeds by mixing in other breed blood lines. That's the only objection you will run into from people on here I'm pretty sure

 

[rancher hicks]

Unlike dogs and cats, chickens have a short life span. Keeping that in mind, I see no reason not to do as you choose. I have a few breeds that are kept pure and some EE/Del crosses. I also have a Frizzle cross and they are nice. I have some that go as they get to old for me. I just give them away and then others will live out their years in as much comfort as I can give them.

The unhappiest chicken for me is the one not well taken care of no matter what the breed.

I wish you well,

Rancher

 

[henney penny]

I call them orpalls daddy is buff orp and mom is a faverolle,this is a girl