Different breeds breeding?

[NicInNC]

Is it uncommon for different breeds to breed?

For instance if my chickens were all free rangers and if I had all silkies and polish, would the silkies and polish ever try to breed with each other?

Gosh, I hope this isn't the dumbest question ever.

 

[Katy]

Yep, they'll breed with each other. They don't discriminate

 

[MissPrissy]

And all your eggs that you hatch will be mixed barnyard variety not pure. If you plan to have pure eggs for hatching never let them in the same pens or out free ranging together.

 

[Daycare Mom]

Its not dumb to ask! They do not care who's who! My brahma is with my polish, just doesn't seem right, he is so big!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Quote:
Unless your male just happens to breed his breed's corresponding hen...

If you have a polish cockerel running around with polish hens and others, there's ALWAYS a chance you could get pure birds...

 

[MissPrissy]

I was reading it as 2 complete breeding flocks running together. You can never be sure if you have both breeds of rooster mating a random assortment of hens. If you only have the one rooster sure the matching hens will produce pure eggs.

 

[NicInNC]

At what age can they become fertile?

 

[MissPrissy]

At 3 - 4 months I have had fertile cockerals.

 

[shaylee]

Quote:
I have a teeny tiny little bantie cochin that breeds with the big girls all the time. He doesnt care at all. Like some kind of freak chicken rodeo.

The only dumb questions are the ones we dont ask.

 

[KattyKillFish]

Quote:
I have a teeny tiny little bantie cochin that breeds with the big girls all the time. He doesnt care at all. Like some kind of freak chicken rodeo.

The only dumb questions are the ones we dont ask.

LOL the lady who owns the local petting zoo they have a HUGE jersey giant hen, and a teensy little black Japanese bantam roo. they produce fertile eggs that she has hatched. i plan on buying a few from her to hatch, just to see for myself what the offspring look like XD