When crossing breeds, does it ever matter which breed is the hen or rooster?

[RuffIedFeathers]

Hopefully that question makes sense. For example, I crossed my pita pinta rooster with an ameraucana hen. I should get the same results if it were to cross an ameraucana rooster with a pita pinta hen, correct? Or no?

 

[Sally PB]

I think it would matter, but I'm tagging someone who knows a lot more than I do.

@nicalandia, can you answer this?

 

[ChickNanny13]

From all that I've read, it does matter but how ... I have no clue. Here's a good one, did you know the Hen "decides" if the hatched egg will be pullet or cockerel and not the Roo.

 

[3KillerBs]

It matters when dealing with sexlinked genes.

For example, in my flock with solid roosters and some barred hens among the others I know that when hatching mixes any barred chicks have to be male.

But if I had a barred rooster with solid hens that wouldn't hold true.

 

[grizleyguy]

I think the rooster carries the, egg laying amount, gene. You would want the breed that lays the most to be the rooster

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think the rooster carries the, egg laying amount, gene. You would want the breed that lays the most to be the rooster

Same with brooding. You want to breed from a male with a broody mama

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Also size. Too big of a male can harm a small hen and too small will mean he isn't getting every shot in the goal

 

[NatureIsCool]

From all that I've read, it does matter but how ... I have no clue. Here's a good one, did you know the Hen "decides" if the hatched egg will be pullet or cockerel and not the Roo

Hopefully that question makes sense. For example, I crossed my pita pinta rooster with an ameraucana hen. I should get the same results if it were to cross an ameraucana rooster with a pita pinta hen, correct? Or no?

Hi RuffledFeathers! I recently got two checks of that exact same Cross. Do you have any pics? I’m dying to know what they will look like. I think one is a he and one is a she!!!

 

[ChickNanny13]

I have no clue, I can't have Roos so can't "experiment"

 

[AusHen]

It depends on the reason for the cross. As mentioned for sex-links it matters because it only works one way. When I breed for Olive eggs I select a male hatched from birds with good genetics to breed to a blue laying hen vs a hen laying dark eggs with a blue laying rooster because the trend seems to be males contribute more when it comes to dark brown genetics.
if you're just after some blue/green layers I don't find it matters as much