Which cross would you keep?

[hmlongino]

I have some crosses both in the bator and under a broody right now. I want to keep a few of them to fill the gap in egg production (I have pure breeds, too, but just not enough in the bator to meet the egg need), so I want good layers, but I am hoping they would also look cool in the yard!

I was wondering if anyone knew what these crosses would look like as adults, and what you think their egg production would be like (frequent layer/winter hearty)?

The roo was a wheaten Araucana, the hens are white leghorns, buff orps, barred rocks, RIR, and Red Stars. (Or, would you hold out for the buff orp roo with any of these girls?)

This all assumes I can pick out which one is which when they pop out from under Broody Momma! Chances are, I'll have no clue... but I can't help thinking about which ones I might want to keep! (If anyone has pics of chicks or adults of any of these crosses, that would be splendid!)

Thanks for your expertise!

Holly

 

[10 point]

If you want egg production anything but the orpingtons would be good. I don't know if it's just me but my orpingtons are the worst layers in my whole flock.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I'm getting a bunch of hatching eggs this weekend from a Silver Duckwing Araucana (pure bred, tufted and rumpless,) over rose combed brown leghorn hens. I'm hoping for light, active birds that are good light blue egg layers with more breast meat than your average leghorn, but we'll have to wait and see!

 

[gallorojo]

They will all be decent layers, all will be pea combed, bearded and muffed, so, all will be winter hardy. If you want to determine your best layers, google " The Call of the Hen", you can read it online for free. The method outlined in that book works well for determining your best layers.