Home / Frequently Asked Questions / What kind of offspring can I expect when crossing different breeds?
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of offspring can I expect when crossing different breeds?
When you cross two different purebred chickens, the offspring will be hybrids, which will usually bear similarities to the parents. Hybrids do not breed true, though, so if you further cross these hybrid offspring, there will likely be considerable variations in the appearance and traits of the second generation offspring.
The most productive meat birds and egg layers available today are hybrids that result from the crosses of different breeds of chickens. These include Pearl White Leghorns and Cornish X Rocks.
For questions about specific crosses, you may want to contact a geneticist at your nearest university agricultural department.