RIR/Ameracauna cross??

[kirkster5]

Our Rooster is a very handsome Ameracauna and we have 2 Ameracauna hens and 3 RIR hens. We are thinking about adding a couple of chicks per year to our flock to help maintain egg production. Has anyone had a cross like this and what were your results.

 

[tadkerson]

Kirk,

As a general rule when you cross two birds of different egg laying abilities, the offspring will fall somewhere in between the two abilities. Then upon occasion crossing two different breeds will produce offspring that lay better than both the parents. This is called heterosis or hybrid vigor. Heterosis is found in sex linked crosses, for example, red star and golden comets. The offspring will lay, at the least, as good as the Ameraucana.

Tim