Mixing Breeds

[Lhoward42]

Mixing breeds question?!? We are going to hatch some chicks from our mix and I’m curious if there are breeds if mixed that possibly won’t survive or is that not a thing with chickens? We have a Buff Brahma Bantam Rooster with Colombian Wyandotte, Blue Plymouth Rock, Partridge Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, and Naked necks. When cross breeding are there breeds that are stronger and will dominate the look?!? Of the ones I have mentioned what will become more distinct?? The Bantams are all small. Does that mean that all the chicks we hatch will be bantam size?!? I’m just wondering what they’ll look like?! Lots of questions

 

[JacinLarkwell]

BantamxStandard will make medium birds,often with standard bodies and bantam sized legs and wings

Any with naked necks in their background willhave naked necks at hatch

 

[Lhoward42]

BantamxStandard will make medium birds,often with standard bodies and bantam sized legs and wings

Any with naked necks in their background willhave naked necks at hatch

Thank you!!
What about their coloring will it be more of the hen coloring or the rooster color?!?

 

[NatJ]

We are going to hatch some chicks from our mix and I’m curious if there are breeds if mixed that possibly won’t survive or is that not a thing with chickens?

They should be fine.
There are certain breeds where 1/4 of purebred chicks die, but that's because of a gene that must be inherited from both parents to kill the chick--not an issue when mixing breeds. (Short leg gene in Japanes Bantams, ear tuft gene in Araucanas--not a problem with the breeds you have.)

We have a Buff Brahma Bantam Rooster with Colombian Wyandotte, Blue Plymouth Rock, Partridge Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, and Naked necks.

You will probably get feathered legs on all the chicks (because of the Brahma father).

Naked necks on some or all chicks who have a naked neck mother.

Some blue chicks from the Blue Plymouth Rock, and some black chicks, and maybe some other colors as well.

Columbian Wyandotte mother, with Buff Brahma father, will produce sexlink chicks: females will be brown (a bit like their father) and males will be white (similar to their mother, but a bit dirty-looking or with some brown patches).

BantamxStandard will make medium birds

I agree.

The chicks will hatch big or small depending on what size egg they come from, but then they will grow to whatever size their genes call for (probably medium, if they've got a bantam father and a standard size mother.)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Thank you!!
What about their coloring will it be more of the hen coloring or the rooster color?!?

I tend to get complete mixes, especially when hens already aren't purebred.

 

[Lhoward42]

I tend to get complete mixes, especially when hens already aren't purebred.

We got them straight from the hatchery as part of 4H and supposedly all of them are purebreds.

 

[Lhoward42]

They should be fine.
There are certain breeds where 1/4 of purebred chicks die, but that's because of a gene that must be inherited from both parents to kill the chick--not an issue when mixing breeds. (Short leg gene in Japanes Bantams, ear tuft gene in Araucanas--not a problem with the breeds you have.)



You will probably get feathered legs on all the chicks (because of the Brahma father).

Naked necks on some or all chicks who have a naked neck mother.

Some blue chicks from the Blue Plymouth Rock, and some black chicks, and maybe some other colors as well.

Columbian Wyandotte mother, with Buff Brahma father, will produce sexlink chicks: females will be brown (a bit like their father) and males will be white (similar to their mother, but a bit dirty-looking or with some brown patches).



I agree.

The chicks will hatch big or small depending on what size egg they come from, but then they will grow to whatever size their genes call for (probably medium, if they've got a bantam father and a standard size mother.)

WOW thank you for such detailed answers!!! This gives me a good idea of what I’m looking at!