crossing breeds

[Sneebsey]

You will see some variation by introducing a new breed, however once a breed is established, their genetics are set to a certain type, regardless of the breeds in their ancestry. A breed can only be called a breed if the birds breed true, aka their offspring look like them.

With any mixes, however, including your Langshan x, you will see variation with regards to shape and size, and will need to be careful in selecting those birds with dual purpose qualities, so a nice low carriage and a good size. The Am x pullet is nice and low, so could be of use for the introduction of genetic diversity.

 

[Beer can]

I am looking to ultimately get a fibro dual purpose bird. I crossed Svarthonas with Langshans, and am wondering who to keep cockbird wise....specifically, should I keep any F1 cockerels to breed to, or just back cross to the original cockbirds for the F2 generation? I am getting what looks like a large Svarthona,
leggier, hardly any leg feathering, good flyers, great foragers, with a Langshan type, smaller comb. Just got cockerels with this cross this year. All exhibit fibro skin color, just like Nicalandia said! (white skinned slate legged birds will exhibit fibro when crossed with fibro)View attachment 1548088
No white in feathering, but the photo makes it look like that. They have really strong green highlights. This one is more mulberry than others...

Nice!
I have crossed Jersey Giant's with Silkies. Not all hatched fibro, but I suspect the TSC 'silkies' I used were not pure to begin with, they were quite large birds and laid great.
I had planned on back crossing them and then breeding them for size and fibro but abandoned the project, have too many birds to feed lol.
If I attempt it again have thought of either going with breeder quality silkies crossed with cochins. Or either svarts or cemani crossed with naked necks.
Quite a few have large fibro naked necks. Couple people on here even with scaleless fibro naked necks (completely featherless)

I had Langshans from Sandhill back a four-five yrs ago, beautiful birds.
I think there is some misconception on the large slow growing breeds. Many think they are not worth having cause they grow slower than other dual purpose breeds.
The Langshans I processed about the time they started crowing, just as meaty as the other breeds I had.
I've been breeding Jersey Giant's for four-five yrs and also process them about the time they start crowing along with any pullets not kept. They are just as meaty and heavy as other breeds, but bigger carcasses/bones. People make it sound like they will just be scrawny bony birds processed young. They have just as much on their frame as other dp birds. They just do not reach their full potential of 10-13lbs until six to nine months, yr. Then their frames will be filled out legs the size of turkey legs. And plenty of breast meat, not as thick as CX but their breasts are twice as long so just as much meat.

 

[annagoodspeed]

Thanks, Sneebsey! Wasn’t sure if recessive genes that would not show up when bred to another of the same breed, would show up when bred to a different breed?

Here is one Langshan Ameraucana cross, yet another cockerel,

with more depth?

I really like the Svarthonas, Beer Can. They were fragile as day old shipped chicks, but at least some of that was most likely from owner error...they were in with Langshan chicks ... but this season’s hen raised crop has been really healthy. And they are all so handy, and seem really smart.
I am ok with a longer maturation time. Those leg bones on the Langshans are something, no? I am a dark meat person, luckily.

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

Cool! I'll be following!

 

[Amer]

View attachment 1549144 Australorps were next on the list, might still go with them if I can find a good source. I like that they are less broody too. Would I have a lot more variation in offspring using them, since they have a compiliation of breeds for their ancestry? Maybe that isn’t a factor by the time you have a breed established and breeding true?
(A photo of an Ameraucana cross pullet. All three have tufts)

Cute!

Nice!
I have crossed Jersey Giant's with Silkies. Not all hatched fibro, but I suspect the TSC 'silkies' I used were not pure to begin with, they were quite large birds and laid great.
I had planned on back crossing them and then breeding them for size and fibro but abandoned the project, have too many birds to feed lol.
If I attempt it again have thought of either going with breeder quality silkies crossed with cochins. Or either svarts or cemani crossed with naked necks.
Quite a few have large fibro naked necks. Couple people on here even with scaleless fibro naked necks (completely featherless)

I had Langshans from Sandhill back a four-five yrs ago, beautiful birds.
I think there is some misconception on the large slow growing breeds. Many think they are not worth having cause they grow slower than other dual purpose breeds.
The Langshans I processed about the time they started crowing, just as meaty as the other breeds I had.
I've been breeding Jersey Giant's for four-five yrs and also process them about the time they start crowing along with any pullets not kept. They are just as meaty and heavy as other breeds, but bigger carcasses/bones. People make it sound like they will just be scrawny bony birds processed young. They have just as much on their frame as other dp birds. They just do not reach their full potential of 10-13lbs until six to nine months, yr. Then their frames will be filled out legs the size of turkey legs. And plenty of breast meat, not as thick as CX but their breasts are twice as long so just as much meat.

I like the JG idea.

 

[annagoodspeed]

Been thinking about the idea of landraces and wild flocks in general, and how a landrace has such genetic diversity but also has a distinctive look. What does a breeding pattern for a landrace look like, as compared to the standard patterns, like spiral, for developing a breed? Do all the offspring disperse each year? How would one go about imitating a landrace breeding pattern at home? Would you bring in new unrelated lines of the breeds you are mixing each year?