crossing rhode island red rooster with black orpington hen

[jaja]

hi
i know that the australorp was made that way with other breeds
i was wondering will the chicks from the RIR roster with black orpington will be all black or will have some red in the feathers?
did any one do this cross?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I haven’t done that specific cross but I’m sure it has been done an untold number of times. The closest I’ve come to that cross was a Speckled Sussex rooster over Black Australorp hens. In theory the offspring should be totally black but that’s just theory. Actual practice often trumps theory.

I know there is some genetic difference in the red/brown of SS and RIR, but what I’d expect you to see in the males is what is in the photo above. Some of the males of my cross had dark red leakage but I photographed this gold leakage because it is easier to see. The pullets from that cross had a few red feathers but you really had to look hard to find them. Leakage in the males was much more pronounced.

Just for fun I’ll show you leakage from another cross. These were cockerels from a RIR rooster and Rhode Island White hens. I’m including this to show the wide variety of leakage patterns you can get. Leakage is not real consistent.

 

[donrae]

From what I remember seeing of Red roosters over Australorp hens (I think black is black, no matter the breed) the hens are black and the males get some gold leakage. Females might get some touches of color at the collar, but black is pretty resistant to letting other colors through, seems like. You might get some roosters folks want to call black copper marans, due to the leakage patterns.

 

[jaja]

thank you all
it will take some generation's to get the black shine as in the orpington or australorp

 

[Ridgerunner]

You'll probably get the shine immediately. It's just that there might be a few red or gold feathers in there.

 

[jaja]

ok

 

[MyBabiesTheChickens]

So this would apply with crossing Red Cochin Roo over Black Cochin Hen as well? Trying to keep purebreeding while getting color combinations for our own personal fun. Even made a joke that they would look like "Copper" cochins if they consistantly look like what was described with the red or gold leakage.