I was hoping someone could help me with a question about cross reading

[nicholewhelpley]

If I use a red ranger rooster and breed them with red star hens what would I end up with. I have searched many articles on web but can't seem to get an answer. I'm a newbie here.

 

[GitaBooks]

Welcome to BYC!


I have crossed by Barred Rock with my Red Stars and appeared to get white chickens out of it, or else barred chickens. Red Stars would probably turn out red, muscular, and good layers.


These links may give you some information on their genetics:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/669667/red-star-hen-crossed-with-barred-rock-rooster

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/781732/cornish-x-red-ranger-cross-project

Best of luck!

 

[junebuggena]

Red Ranger rooster over Red sexlink hens would yield mostly red chicks.

 

[donrae]

for color, you'll have chicks pretty much red and white.
for egg laying---probably so-so. Rangers aren't great layers and that will pull down the production of the sex-link side.
for size--again, probably so-so. I wouldn't think they'd be stellar meat birds as sex links are fairly small for efficient feed conversion.

 

[nicholewhelpley]

What kind of rooster would anyone recommend how about a Rhode Island Red rooster

 

[junebuggena]

What are your breeding goals? And what breeds of hens do you already have?

 

[nicholewhelpley]

I have red stars

 

[junebuggena]

Do you want to produce more red sexlinks? Red Stars are not a breed, they are a brand name for a specific hatchery red sexlink. Sexlinks are a crossbreed that produces chicks that can be sexed at hatching by color. They tend to mature a bit faster than their purebred parents and out lay them, as well.
To make a red sexlink, you need a red/gold based color rooster and a silver hen. Common roosters used are Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Reds, or Production Reds. Hens commonly used are Delawares, and Light Sussex. For more information on sexlinks, check out the first post on this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/261208/sex-linked-information

 

[nicholewhelpley]

I have red sexlinks and Rhode Island Red rooster I guess my other question is if I breed them would my hens I hatch be good egg layers

 

[junebuggena]

The hens will be good layers. They won't be as good as your red sexlinks, but they will still be very good, consistent producers. Since red sexlinks are usually half RIR, breeding them back to a RIR would produce chicks that are mostly RIR. They will closely resemble Production Reds.