Do any of you hatch mix breed eggs for personal egg use? Is it frowned upon?
Yes and yes.
I love the convenience of knowing which hen is which. For a number of years I had to keep all the hens banded just to know who was who. (which laid the best, which was how old, which was whose mom, which one is the one that roosts in trees, which one bills out all the food, which one lays her eggs on the porch, etc., and I still do have to band with my broody flock). But now, since purposely making some crossbreeds, I know which hen is which and can enjoy calling them by name easily and recognizing each one. It's easier to know which one should be put over in the other chicken house so I can check on if she's still laying through winter even though she's 4 years old, etc., etc., etc. I absolutely love knowing my hens apart. I absolutely hate banding and keeping track of the band colors. Ugh. My own little nightmare. A crossbreed flock, for me, is like a dream come true.
My crossed flock (and it is a planned mix over a number of years) works well and is suited to where I'm located and in my climate and my situation.
Some folks think it's a travesty for anyone to keep anything but American Poultry Association approved breeds which are bred to the standard. I get their position, but it's not practical for someone who just wants to enjoy a varied flock in their backyard for eggs. Having all the same color chickens in my backyard takes all the joy out of it for me and makes me sad.
We all enjoy chickens. We all have X amount of time. We all need to spend our time in the way that benefits each of us the most. Some of us enjoy keeping chickens one way and some of us enjoy keeping chickens another way or even another way. I truly enjoy chickens. I enjoy crosses best because I like knowing each hen from all other hens.
Do I still have some APA approved breeds? Yes. Of course. Yes, I even buy from breeders (eggs and chicks). I have also bought chicks from hatcheries, too, and also from local feed stores who use hatcheries. I don't discriminate too much
when it comes to chickens since they all have their advantages. But for the past couple of years, I buy just one of this breed or that. For instance, I have one Silver Spangled Hamburg. And there's no chance she can be bred into my crossbred flock because I don't hatch her white eggs. But she's a cutie!
Edited for clarity and to add: I personally have to be careful when crossing breeds, though, to know which plumage colorations are dominant, etc. If my rooster is an Australorp, then all the chicks for that year will be black and totally defeat my intention to be able to tell all my chickens apart. Same with breeds like White Orpingtons or White Leghorns, both of which most likely carry Dominant White.
