Mixing Chicken Breeds?

[Bean789]

If my flock is anything to go by, the only thing a silkie rooster "can't" cross with is a rabbit. I haven't seen any "chick-bbits" around here yet but buff orpington, rhode island red, barred rock, easter egger, and of course silkies are all part of his haram. Everything that has hatched has been colored mostly like the momma but they all have feathered feet! He is also a very proud papa who takes good care of his babies.

LOL I was skimming through some breeding posts when I found yours and I am so glad I did. Hilarious! In our flock of various breed pullets with a few bantams in the mix, we have discovered our Splash Silkie is a roo! It was like he 'crowed' (that sick sounding trying to crow sound) and then he was 'at it' with the girls! No sweet talking them either on his part. So funny watching him chase our Saphira, black orpington, around the yard. I'm like. what are you going to do with her if you catch her? Now, from reading your post, I think he will be ok and she will eventually like him better. Time will tell. Soon we may have fluff topped buff brahmas too! LOL

 

[kimleethal]

Thanks for the info!

 

[cityfeet]

I too am glad I found this forum. We've recently started "chickening" and I was looking at Rhode Island Reds because they seemed hardy and would be good egg layers and meat birds. My local tractor supply didn't know what they had because someone threw away the box they came in. I ended up going online and getting 15 buff orpingtons (1 roo and 14 hens) because they had the same traits I looked for in the RIR but seemed like they were pretty calm and would do well with kids. They are about a week old and we've lost 5. No idea how, but the kids are sad. I want to beef our flock back up and TSC now has the RIR (go figure, huh?). I was concerned about mixing breeds but now I'm excited! Now I want a couple of various breeds to see what happens. I'll call us Franken-chicken Farm

 

[Bean789]

LOL I was skimming through some breeding posts when I found yours and I am so glad I did. Hilarious! In our flock of various breed pullets with a few bantams in the mix, we have discovered our Splash Silkie is a roo! It was like he 'crowed' (that sick sounding trying to crow sound) and then he was 'at it' with the girls! No sweet talking them either on his part. So funny watching him chase our Saphira, black orpington, around the yard. I'm like. what are you going to do with her if you catch her? Now, from reading your post, I think he will be ok and she will eventually like him better. Time will tell. Soon we may have fluff topped buff brahmas too! LOL

Since writing the above, we have obtained yet another young Silkie (non-standard, Black/Blue with red comb and wattles) roo along with 2 Silkie Mixes. He is handsome and started almost immediately with the ladies in his coop. He is not in the same coop as the Splash Silkie. I added him to the coop with a Mottled Cochin bantam so as to hopefully get a few of the cutest chicks ever! LOL

Both have done their jobs with the ladies and I currently have 7 eggs in the incubator developing nicely. They will be Silkie X Silkie mix, Silkie X Sultan (didn't think he had managed that one yet). The Splash Silkie X Blue Silkie has 3 eggs among the mix as well.

I have an almost full incubator with other breeds in there as well. It seems in my case, the fact that the incubator is full, makes for a better temp regulation. Of the 37 eggs I set in there, 34 are developing nicely....so far. The other eggs were shipped eggs and I am amazed at how many of them actually made it this far.

 

[Brandy Vincent]

I have some rir that's about to be laying Age. I have them in a coop.I also have a flock of mixed chickens running loose in the yard. Do y'all think I should let the Rhode island reds and my mixed flock Rome together?

 

[Brandy Vincent]

I have some rir that's about to be laying Age. I have them in a coop.I also have a flock of mixed chickens running loose in the yard. Do y'all think I should let the Rhode island reds and my mixed flock Rome together?

 

[xchickengirlx]

Talking about mix breeding, soonish in thinking of adding a rooster to my flock, but im not sure what the best one would be, Im looking for one that will improve the egg laying and will also look nice, for im hoping to show more of my chickens now. Any suggestions? Right now my little flock consists of a white silkie hen, three red sex link hens, and 2 black sex link hens.

 

[SuQMar]

Don't get me wrong I love my pure breds but I got 2 mix breed chicks from a neighbor and one just started laying and as it turns out she's an Olive Egger!!!! Hope the other one is too! Pic of them is my avatar. The dark one is the Olive Egger. They are very friendly, have great personalities, and grew into beautiful hens.

 

[Mama Bird 97]

Hey I have a question, I have a rooster that looks like your little roo. Is there any chance you could guess on what the other half of him is. And if not could I have a list of your chicken breeds at the time to try and figure out what my rooster is. I'm leaning toward a Dutch Bantam breed but I'm not positive.

 

[crity]

I let my culls free range until I can decide what to do with them. Bantams & standards. I've had some very interesting chicks happen that way. One thing about hybrid poultry is vigor is usually better. Almost all of my layers are hybrids, and they give me the best & largest eggs I have found anywhere.

These are all examples of hybrids from my yard birds:
A cockerel that is Australorp X RIR/JBG

Another that is Australorp X RIR/JBG/Australorp

This one is a white silkie X quail d'Anver

This pullet is from the above roo & and one of the hybrid laying hens

This is a little roo, he's an Araucana cross with ??? mystery hen?

And the funkiest roo of all, this guy. He's from a Red Pyle Modern bantam cock out of a Dutch Citron Silkie hen

Nothing too exotic but as you can see, a wide array of possibilities. For yourself, if it's what you enjoy, go for it. Just know that most roos will end up as meat birds and the outlet for them is very limited. The advice for Frizzled X Frizzled & Tufted X Tufted was spot on, keep that in mind.

I have no idea when this was posted, sorry. I think your guys are just beautiful. We have always allowed ours to interbred. My husband just picked up a whole bunch of Phoenix bred with Buffs. If they keep breeding out you will come up with a chicken close to what the original forest bird looked like. That is what one breeder told us ages ago. Not really sure how accurate that is, but I love the idea. I love mixes and have no problem taking in mixes. It's just personal preference. Hopefully the buff phoenix will lay more like the buffs.