Breeding from commercial hybrids

[Jamey Michaela]

Hi there,

I hatched some eggs from Commercial Brown/Red hybrid hens crossed with a Rhode Island Red cockerel last year and not only did I notice that all pullets were mainly white (with smudges of red) whereas the one cockerel I got was mainly red with smudges of white, it was also a fact that 5 out of 6 chicks were pullets.

This year I've hatched eggs different commercial red/brown hen crossed with that cockerel and another from (unidentified silver carrying white egg laying hen) X same RIR cockerel. Again, out of 10 chicks, 8 were pullets and most mainly white with red/brown smudging.

I'm going interested to know if anyone knows how you get the red and white together. I'm assuming it's dominant white and with the commercials, there was no black for it to replace, but when crossed with the RIR, anything that would have been black, became white. I have noticed that the one that is red and black speckled, has no white, so that's further evidence. They look pretty cool. I like these crossbreds as the progeny are more identifiable as individuals. They're totally going to have to have names now!

Also, if anyone has any ideas what breed the white egg laying white (silver) hen might have been, I'd be really keen to hear. It was a good layer apparently. The guy who owned it said it was a white leghorn, but that is impossible as when crossed with the Rhode Island Red cockerel, there were three black chicks (two dead and assumed pullets and one pullet) plus a silver cockerel, with small amounts of black. Also, it didn't have the leghorn tail and it's eggs were smaller than a leghorn and glossy, rather than the matt chalky texture of a leghorn egg. I've potentially got it's granddaughters, though none of them are silver which would have been a way to know for sure.

I have noticed also, that silver chicks hatch out white as opposed to yellow. Is this a thing or my imagination?!

 

[Debbie292d]

Sorry, I'm no help with most of your question, but can tell you our white chicks turn silver, and the yellow ones to white or mauve.

 

[NatJ]

I'm going interested to know if anyone knows how you get the red and white together. I'm assuming it's dominant white and with the commercials, there was no black for it to replace, but when crossed with the RIR, anything that would have been black, became white. I have noticed that the one that is red and black speckled, has no white, so that's further evidence.

I think that explanation is probably correct.

Also, if anyone has any ideas what breed the white egg laying white (silver) hen might have been, I'd be really keen to hear. It was a good layer apparently. The guy who owned it said it was a white leghorn, but that is impossible as when crossed with the Rhode Island Red cockerel, there were three black chicks (two dead and assumed pullets and one pullet) plus a silver cockerel, with small amounts of black.

There are some Leghorn-mix hens (example: California White) that have just one Dominant White gene, so they look pretty much like White Leghorns but only about half of their chicks inherit Dominant White and the other half do not. So that is one possible explanation.

Also, it didn't have the leghorn tail and it's eggs were smaller than a leghorn and glossy, rather than the matt chalky texture of a leghorn egg.

In that case, probably not right for California White (they pretty much have Leghorn traits). It might have just been a backyard mix of some kind, maybe part Leghorn, but I don't know what to suggest for the other part.

I have noticed also, that silver chicks hatch out white as opposed to yellow. Is this a thing or my imagination?!

I'm not sure about this.