heritage vs mutt, which is more hardy?

[sdm111]

Can you give me a list of some heritage crosses?

It'd be something I'd look into.

I'm not too big a fan of the cornish X chicken. I honestly thought of getting a bunch of male Jersey Giants for meat because they're one of the bigger chicken breeds.

What are your intentions? To have very good examples of a breed and to further it by doing intentional breedings or to have a flock of chickens just to keep as a hobby cause they're cool? Or just wanting some eggs for free. Which really isn't factoring all things that went in to getting those eggs

 

[miss heny]

So, something like barred plymouth x jersery giant? I guess the leghorn (white or brown) would be something to use, too.

I'll have t look around, I'm sure all this cross-breeding info is out there on the internet.

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.

Leghorn crosses most likely for higher layer compacity.

Though do note: if you want something for homestead aim for breeds that have longevity for laying over early peak. Personal preference but I rather have hens lay less but last longer in my flock, specially if the older they get the more likely they'll go broody. Never know when you won't have a incubator on hand.

 

[sdm111]

Being NPIP or not wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

 

[sdm111]

So, something like barred plymouth x jersery giant? I guess the leghorn (white or brown) would be something to use, too.

I'll have t look around, I'm sure all this cross-breeding info is out there on the internet.

Just so you know crosses aren't always gonna look alike. That would be called breeding true and that would take many many many years to reach.

 

[miss heny]

Being NPIP or not wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

To me it's situational tbh, though since I plan to be NPIP/AI (needed for commercial egg license in my state) I sorta need it in my case or y'know individual health testing and all that snazz if the bird is worth it for me.

Around here in my state NPIP/AI is worth something but doesn't weed out much. People here have no qualm selling sick birds even with the testing

 

[miss heny]

Just so you know crosses aren't always gonna look alike. That would be called breeding true and that would take many many many years to reach.

^ this

Welbar is the only one I know currently to of been bred to stability in the recent years.

 

[miss heny]

Think chicken hybrids like dairy cow crosses.

Many dairies will cross their lesser quality cows (still good producers but they rather not keep that gene in their herds for future milkers) to beef cattle. Why? Because the calves will be meatier, typically they use sex semen to ensure only bulls but even beef cross heifers actually make money because of the fact many beef programs use them to up the milk production in their herds. However you won't see any commercial program breeding the F1 for dairy, only to be raised for butcher as extra funds.

 

[Shadrach]

Just a thought that came to mind...

Many heritage breeds are cold hardy, take heat well enough (as long as you give them shade and water), and free range well enough.

Do you think mutt chickens would be more hardy?

Or could you Rhode Islanders or Plymouths (or any breed really become more hardy has the generations pass?

Or would it be the same?

What do you think?

Thanks for your insight.

It's not quite as simple as one might like, or believe.
What traits would you want that fall under the general term hardy.
Fighting cocks were bred to be hardy, so are the land race breeds people try to increase the population of.
Does hardy mean to you long lived, or able to withstand climate extremes or something else?

The really odd part is, nature has all this sorted and what humans tend to do with their very limited understanding of what makes one chicken survive and another not is mess it up.
People who breed chickens do by and large breed by looks. They do this because the genetics involved have obvious results and are easy to understand.
It's partly why we have so many pretty not very good at very much chicken breeds.

So, step one is to know what you want from the breed. You won't be wanting Buff Orpingtons for example if you want a fast and agile chicken.

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.

 

[Vata Raven]

What are your intentions?

For personal use:
--- good table roos (since you can't sell meat without being licensed or whatever)
--- hens that lay a decent enough

Homestead selling:
--- the compost they turn from food waste
--- eating eggs
--- likely the fertilized eggs and chicks
--- sell black larva flies (from whatever setup I'm planning for)

 

[sdm111]

For personal use:
--- good table roos (since you can't sell meat without being licensed or whatever)
--- hens that lay a decent enough

Homestead selling:
--- the compost they turn from food waste
--- eating eggs
--- likely the fertilized eggs and chicks
--- sell black larva flies (from whatever setup I'm planning for)

Cool. Now to work off that, do you want a "pure" bloodline and get the males from one place and the females from another place to keep one breed or would you like to cross breed two breeds? If you cross breed I would suggest not breeding the crosses together. Keep 2 separate breeds and use those to make your crosses.