As part of my kids educational process, I plan to hatch out some chicks. When they grow up, we'll keep as many layers as we need and eat the roos and extra hens. Our roo is a Buff Orpington, our hens are barred rock, amercuana, buff orp, black australorp and ISA browns. These birds will not be used for show, 4H, or commercial sale.
Would the cross between ISA/BufO be worth anything? I can envision a really large framed hen that is a prolific layer. I can also envision a scrawny, below-average layer if their size/layer traits are recessive in nature.
Anyone with experience here? It would not be a problem for me to keep the ISA eggs separate from the others, but it would take longer to fill the incubator.
Would the cross between ISA/BufO be worth anything? I can envision a really large framed hen that is a prolific layer. I can also envision a scrawny, below-average layer if their size/layer traits are recessive in nature.
Anyone with experience here? It would not be a problem for me to keep the ISA eggs separate from the others, but it would take longer to fill the incubator.