Mutt chicks???

[Meat Hunter]

Several weeks ago, we bought what the locally hatchery had left over from peoples orders. A few black sex links, several EE's, Buff, PR, Barred rock and white one lol. Out of them, we have 2 roos for sure. One being the Barred rock and the other a Black sex link. From most of the posts I read on here, most folks are into one or 2 breeds. What about those folks like me who live on a farm, don't really have a desire to raise one specific breed but would just rather let mother nature take her course and let the roos breed with whoever they please. I would love to have new chicks come about every now and then, but of course, I can't be overrun with them so my question is, would I have a hard time getting rid of them? I mean, I have never seen a sign in the hatchery saying Mutt chicks for sale. If people just wanted egg layers, it really shouldn't matter should it? Or, if I see a hen that goes broody, should I remove the eggs to prevent them from hatching out?

I think I have a pretty good mix and I think it would be pretty cool to have all them different color and feather patterns merge into some new chicks. What do you think?

 

[Dun an Oir Hens]

I can't have roosters (town law) but the local chicken man advertises barnyard mixes and they sound adorable. My daugher hatched chicks in her class at school and they grew up to be mutts but look great - one was a roo and we rehomed him no problem - my husband said he looked like a hawk he looked so good. I say go for it !

 

[suzettex5]

Probably wouldnt be that hard to sell 'egg layers', but mutt roos you will probably have to give away free- AFTER you have spent time and money on them to get them to the age where you can tell for sure they are girls or boys. Mixed hens go for less (usually) than pure breeds.

Also, after a few generations, pretty much all your chickens will look the same, if you dont introduce new breeds or genetics, you will end up with all the same chicken. (for the most part)


You can let your broody hens hatch as many or as few as you like, but you most likely wont know who the parents are, unless a distinctive characteristic shows up, like silkie feathers or polish crests, and then you only know half the genes. If you arent worried about breeds, Easter Eggers are great! They come in lots of colors, can lay all the egg colors out there and dont need to be any special breed to just them run wild and breed without intervention- you can still always claim they are Easter Eggers! (please correct me if Im wrong on this EE lovers!)

 

[Fred's Hens]

People like the breeds because they like a particular color or pattern or personality or color of egg, etc. Thus, in my view, mutts, while lovable and useful enough, will never be as "valuable" or as easy to sell when the time comes for selling fertile eggs, chicks, pullets, or hens, etc.

If you never plan on any sales, it is irrelevant, I suppose.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Lots of people are proud to have mutt chickens. Mutts of all species are noted for being more hardy than the pure breeds. I don't think you would have a problem getting rid of excess chicks, even mutts. They are loaded with cute just like the standard breeds. You just won't be able to ask a premium price like you would if it was a sought-after rare breed or a heritage breed trying to make its way back from near extinction.

 

[Meat Hunter]

Thanks all for your quick replies. Selling them for money isn't an issue. My fear would be that I would have some and no one would want them. We have 10 acres and all the bugs they can forage in the warmer weather and as long as we can get some eggs from them, feed in the Winter would be a fair trade-off.

Another thing that I just thought of, is if we were to keep some, which mostly likely we would, when they came to breeding age, they would essentially be bred by one of the 2 roos we have (their father). Is that a concern in the chicken world? Or would I have to worry about a chicken with 4 legs and 2 heads LOL.

 

[ams4776]

From what ive seen a father to daughter breeding would be okay. I have mutt chickens and just plan on butchering all my extras. I am going to change my roo out though ever few years for fresh blood. Good luck

 

[Fred's Hens]

It would take many generations of breeding for the collective DNA to be so small as to create a problem. I'd not be too concerned.

Just a story. Sometimes keepers start out with a bunch of breeds only to discover that they don't particularly care for some of them. Conversely, folks let their mixed flocks go along for years and years and then decide they'd prefer to specialize in just a breed or perhaps two, for heritage reasons or just on a whim. Sometimes folks begin with tried and true heritage type breeds and but find the egg production is not what they expected. Conversely, folks have started with sex-links or something that lays incredibly well, but people grow weary of the personality or non-sustainable nature of a hybrid and switch their focus to more traditional breeds.

Point being that things change as you go along and that is just fine.

 

[yinepu]

Two of my mutts.. father (top pic) and son (bottom pic).. one will be going to freezer camp once I see how the new baby purebred roos look.. just so we can add some new looks/bloodlines to the flock.. They were hot and wanted to go roost for the night when I took these with my phone.. so sorry for the crappy pics..

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Quote:
Those are some handsome mutts!