Will 2nd generation mixed breed lay as well as their moms?

[Elizabeth&Elihu]

I have a motley mix. We plan to hatch the new flock from them - but worry the children of mixes may not be as good overall.
Is this a concern? If so, I'll just get some pure breeds and start over with them.
Thanks for any input...

 

[chickendales]

babies should lay as good there parents

 

[Arielle]

Remember some of the best layers are F1 crosses that lay well; when you mix several breeds you gain hybrid vigor: healthier, faster growth, and more. So go for it. When you start mixing the offspring for many generations the hybrid vigor decrease but you might just get to name your own breed! Go for it!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Well, it's probably good to remember that Fi is not F2, and without specific selection controls, the loosing of the DNA with crossing can lead to untold variations. Eggs production like milk production is specifically bred. Production Reds are not a random cross, but a very specific cross. In hog farming, one will often see F1 crosses, and some F2 crosses, but they are specific crosses and they are meat/frame based and not egg/milk based.

 

[Sparklee]

Elizabeth&Elihu :

I have a motley mix. We plan to hatch the new flock from them - but worry the children of mixes may not be as good overall.
Is this a concern? If so, I'll just get some pure breeds and start over with them.
Thanks for any input...

I love it when people say "any input."

How many different breeds originally? If only two, then I'm guessing there's a good chance they're revert back to the levels of the original breeds, assuming they were standard breeds and not sexlinks.

If you have quite a few different breeds, say four, then you will still get some hybrid vigor (heterosis) with this next breeding mix because not everyone has bred with everyone yet.

My guess is that you will do fine this year.

Or you could just throw in another breed into the mix each year to keep the hybrid vigor going.

That's my "any input." Treat it as such because it's based on guesses.​