heritage vs mutt, which is more hardy?

[Vata Raven]

How will you know which breed or cross breed is able to survive and live to a ripe old age without waiting around for a decade for each generation to achieve it's maximum potential?

There's some good news. If you let the chickens decide who breeds with who and nature kill off the least adaptable, you're likely to get a far better result than any short term breeding program.

I'd rather let nature do it's thing anyway. It's easier and less work for someone who's working a full-time job.

Guess I need to write down what I want in the long-run, and find the 2 breeds I want to mingle, and let the chickens do their job.

 

[Vata Raven]

Think chicken hybrids like dairy cow crosses.

Guess I have a bit of research to do. I get the basic idea. I'm just not sure what I'd be crossing or keeping now.

But it's make sense to make sure you start with a good breeding pair instead of getting something from a hatchery.

 

[Vata Raven]

Jersey Giant crosses weren't that common if my knowledge is still good. Due to how long they took to grow (while big they didn't often mature until almost 1.5 years old) however they were popular for caponing.

I looked up the SOP for Jersey Giants on the national club website, and it said they should reach 10 and 13 pounds in 9 months. Where did the 1.5 years come from?