Jersey Giant x Le Bresse

[marlene]

I wanted to get a dual purpose breed, that would be a good size for meat and a decent egg layer. So I opted for jersey giants, and hatched 4 that turned out to be pullets.Then realised that they were slow maturing, so after a bit of reading, decided to hatch some le bresse as they are big and fast maturing. I had a bad hatch and only ended up with one, which is looking like a Cockerell.
So now I am thinking of breeding the jersey giant pullets with the la bresse cockerel. Can anyone tell me anything about breeding these 2 breeds with each other?
They are both big breeds but 1 is slow and 1 if fast maturing, what is likely to happen with maturity?
What colour will the likely be?
And what about the eggs laying, how many eggs can I expect to get from the mixed breeds?
Thank you for your help.

 

[PeepersMama]

Crossing breeds (especially when they have no realtion to each other) is great for hybrid vigor. If you do hatch a cross from these two breeds, then they will be 1. likely a blue/black/splash variation, and 2. very hardy, but maybe not the best layers. Bresse are a meat breed; they do tend to be decent layers, but not the best. As you have discovered, JG's are also bad layers and are slow to mature.

If you aren't set on getting a purebreed, then I would wholeheartedly reccomend black sex-links. They are the best layers I have ever had, lay GIGANTIC eggs, are good meat birds, and have unique personalities; they're all different!The only bad thing about them is that they are a more aggressive breed, and can pick on the more docile breeds, but our BO's bossed them around no problem. My second favorite hybrid is austra whites. They are a cross between a leghorn roo and an australorp hen. They are super hardy, make awesome freerangers, but stay fairly close to home, are SUPER friendly, are great dual-purpose birds, and lay HUGE white eggs - most of them, anyway.

If you do want purebreeds, then get a few plymouth rocks or welsummers. My rocks had some serious fat issues, and they weren't the best layers, but my orps weren't friendly either sooooo... I haven't had welsummers, but they sound like some pretty awesome chickens.