What AC crosses should I do?

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Note: ( I won’t be able to do these crosses until December-January due to when I’m getting new hens and when they will start laying)

I’m really excited to breed my ACs and can’t wait to cross breed them.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Cross breeding is pointless if it isn't improving anything especially in a breed like AC where the standard is still all over the place.

The AC need more folks working to breed high quality Cemani and getting them to nice standard.. so you can tell when you are looking at a Cemani.

Your other crosses.. if it's decent Cemani the melanin thing is dominant and you end up with all black birds anyways.. just NO actual value.. NOT discounting your personal fun and enjoyment though.. you MUST do what YOU love or it's work. This is just MY opinion! Since you asked.

IF I was going to cross Cemani to something.. it *might* be like a white Leghorn.. to improve laying ability while maintaining body/comb type, and even test the Fibro gene for purity..

Sounds like you have a lovely collection in your flock. Happy adventures!

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Cross breeding is pointless if it isn't improving anything especially in a breed like AC where the standard is still all over the place.

The AC need more folks working to breed high quality Cemani and getting them to nice standard.. so you can tell when you are looking at a Cemani.

Your other crosses.. if it's decent Cemani the melanin thing is dominant and you end up with all black birds anyways.. just NO actual value.. NOT discounting your personal fun and enjoyment though.. you MUST do what YOU love or it's work. This is just MY opinion! Since you asked.

IF I was going to cross Cemani to something.. it *might* be like a white Leghorn.. to improve laying ability while maintaining body/comb type, and even test the Fibro gene for purity..

Sounds like you have a lovely collection in your flock. Happy adventures!

Thanks,
I’m planning to do lots of breeding with just Ayam Cemanis.

 

[MissMonty]

I think it really depends on your goals. All crossing is going to do is give you a bunch of "barnyard mixes" with no real value. In reality most people wanting barnyard mixes want egg layers so really you're crossing a bird that is a TERRIBLE egg layer into it.

With that being said I am starting an Ayam cemani breeding project and I'm sure my "rejects" I'll put in my main flock just because I love how they look but I won't be going out of my way to breed crosses without a goal.

My focus is going to be to perfect (or as close to) my pure Ayam Cemanis and I'll be culling on the way. Some "culls" will just end up in my main coop out of my breeding project. I may down the road hatch out some barnyard mixes out of my main coop so having a couple hens in there it'll always be possible but again I wouldn't go out of your way to cross breed them.

If you're really focusing on Ayam Cemani's really you should be building up a decent size group to get started anyways. So I'm not sure I'd "waste" a good AC to a mix when you're trying to build up your project

Just thoughts from a fellow AC person

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

I’m going to start a breeding project. I was just wondering what breeds I should cross because I am selling barnyard mix eggs as well as pure Cemanis

Here’s one of my 4 week old Ayam Cemani babies I have right now

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

Note: ( I won’t be able to do these crosses until December-January due to when I’m getting new hens and when they will start laying)

I’m really excited to breed my ACs and can’t wait to cross breed them.

I would cross them with something that will add more meat on the carcuss but breed back to the dark black everything. Like a big fat black cochin or dark cornish or something.

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

I voted for the blue plymoth on your list but I suggest the ones above. Maybe even one of the broiler type silkies.

 

[MissMonty]

I’m going to start a breeding project. I was just wondering what breeds I should cross because I am selling barnyard mix eggs as well as pure Cemanis

Here’s one of my 4 week old Ayam Cemani babies I have right nowView attachment 2536691

I don't really know if there is a value in wasting your time purposely breeding barnyard mixes with AC was my point. Like if you have extras you aren't using and you don't want to sell them then sure put them in your main flock and let it go. Its not going to fetch a better price just because there is a chance or even guarantee for an AC mix. The only real value in an AC is the pure ones. A barnyard mix is still a barnyard mix. You may get more interest in them if you put the AC name in the description but I don't think it would increase the value if you understand what I mean. A mutt is a mutt.

Now if you're talking wanting to create your own type, that's a totally different conversation but that requires a long time of breeding for yourself and not selling out the babies. Like Mosiacs for example. A mix breed that's pretty desirable but that's because of the time they have put into creating it

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

I don't really know if there is a value in wasting your time purposely breeding barnyard mixes with AC was my point. Like if you have extras you aren't using and you don't want to sell them then sure put them in your main flock and let it go. Its not going to fetch a better price just because there is a chance or even guarantee for an AC mix. The only real value in an AC is the pure ones. A barnyard mix is still a barnyard mix. You may get more interest in them if you put the AC name in the description but I don't think it would increase the value if you understand what I mean. A mutt is a mutt.

Now if you're talking wanting to create your own type, that's a totally different conversation but that requires a long time of breeding for yourself and not selling out the babies. Like Mosiacs for example. A mix breed that's pretty desirable but that's because of the time they have put into creating it

F1 crosses produce some wonderful birds and plants and so on. Many F1 crosses can be selected and stabilized in future generations to produce stable unique lines. The value the OP sees in the potential crosses may make it well worth the OP’s time. Just some thoughts.

 

[MissMonty]

F1 crosses produce some wonderful birds and plants and so on. Many F1 crosses can be selected and stabilized in future generations to produce stable unique lines. The value the OP sees in the potential crosses may make it well worth the OP’s time. Just some thoughts.

The way it was worded sounds like just mixing for the heck of it not to continue on for a project of sorts. But just to mix for "barnyard mixes". That's really what the last paragraph of my post was referring to. If this is a bigger project with a goal in mind then that's a totally different discussion. Just mixing for the sake of it with no real goals or understanding of genetics behind it is what I was saying is a waste of potential for good examples of the Ayam Cemani breed.