Question about multiple breeds of chickens living together

[awilde20]

Ok, so I currently have 2 Rhode Island Red roosters and 4 RIR hens. My question is if i get some Dominic and Orpington hens to go with them, will they lay eggs that produce either Dominic, Orpington, or RIR chicks? Or does that cause you to have "mutt" chickens? Thanks for any help

 

[vnploveschickens]

Hi, You will get crosses. RIR X____

How many hens will you get because 2 roosters is too many at this point.

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

I assume you are talking about hatching the eggs? Then no, it would not be one or the other. You would get some that look like the mother, and some that look like the father, that may be visibly identical but genetically they are different. The most of them would be a mix anyway that resembles neither mother or father. If you crossed a RIR rooster and a Buff Orpington hen, they may be sex-linked, the roosters being buff and the pullets being red. But other traits, such as stance, weight, etc., would be different. The same might happen if you crossed the Buff Orpington and Dominique, or Dominique and RIR. Hope this helps and doesn't make things confusing! MW

 

[awilde20]

ok thanks! That is what I figured. No big deal to me though, I love all chickens! Im hoping to get three of each breed, that way there will be a good hen to rooster ratio