Freedom Ranger X ISA Brown Cross?

[A.T. Hagan]

One of my bird customers asked me about whether I could produce a cross of Freedom Ranger and ISA Brown birds for him and what they would look like.

Being as how they are both hybrids themselves I told him I had no idea what they'd end up looking or performing like but there would almost certainly be a lot of variability in the resulting chicks. Since they are both popular birds I figure someone here has tried it by now.

Anyone tried this cross? What did the resulting birds look like and how did they perform? I know they won't be stable, but he's only asking about this first generation cross. He'll have to select from there.

 

[RoosterGeek]

A.T. Hagan :

One of my bird customers asked me about whether I could produce a cross of Freedom Ranger and ISA Brown birds for him and what they would look like.

Being as how they are both hybrids themselves I told him I had no idea what they'd end up looking or performing like but there would almost certainly be a lot of variability in the resulting chicks. Since they are both popular birds I figure someone here has tried it by now.

Anyone tried this cross? What did the resulting birds look like and how did they perform? I know they won't be stable, but he's only asking about this first generation cross. He'll have to select from there.

I haven't and I would like to see pictures of that. My Freedom rangers lay fairly well. Is your customer wanting higher egg production from it?​

 

[A.T. Hagan]

He wants the Holy Grail of course. Fast growing large sized birds that lay early and well and they can't be white because the ethnic market he'll be selling the roosters and spent hens too doesn't like them.

I've explained to him that like all compromises he can only get so much but he wants to try it. I'm curious to see what would come of it myself and whether or not it would be worthwhile to continue to select and breed from the resulting descendents. He doesn't hatch eggs so he wants me to do the incubating which I'd probably do for a share of the chicks if it appears to be worth trying.

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[RoosterGeek]

A.T. Hagan :

He wants the Holy Grail of course.

It could be worth it just for the extra business. I know what you mean about the ethnic market. I got asked to raise silks or "black chicken". I bet if someone could come up with a good laying duck that has the same black meat/bones as a silkie, it would be a goldmine!

If you do decide to cross them, I want to see pictures!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Surely someone has made this cross by now? How did they work for you?

 

[RoosterGeek]

I haven't crossed them, but if someone did come up with a black meated duck I would pay premium prices for breeding stock!

I would say you cross a FR roo with a ISA brown hen. The results would be all over the board I bet.

 

[draye]

A.T. Hagan :

One of my bird customers asked me about whether I could produce a cross of Freedom Ranger and ISA Brown birds for him and what they would look like.

Being as how they are both hybrids themselves I told him I had no idea what they'd end up looking or performing like but there would almost certainly be a lot of variability in the resulting chicks. Since they are both popular birds I figure someone here has tried it by now.

Anyone tried this cross? What did the resulting birds look like and how did they perform? I know they won't be stable, but he's only asking about this first generation cross. He'll have to select from there.

Looks like this is a must do for you.

I'm working on a better layer, not sexlink though. SDomething that lays a bigger egg than a Plymouth Rock ( i have those and their eggs are mediumish sized (personally I like that size myself), customers want large eggs. So far this is my fisrt year for trying though, I've crossed my White Plymouth Rock rooster over some Red/Golden sex Link hens. 18 babies hatched mostly white chickens (that's really what I'm aiming for anyway), but have 3 or 4 that looks like they are going to be barred, and an unsual colored one it's hard to describe what color (combination of colors) it is. Waiyng until it grows up t see what it will look like.

Good luck finding someone who's done the cross.​

 

[Oregon Blues]

I haven't butchered my Swedish ducks, yet, but the black Swedish ducks have dark skin. It should be possible to get the skin darker with some selective breeding.

How black is silkie skin?