Author Topic: Crossing Hubbards (Read 4578 times)

Frieslandfilly · « **on:** April 13, 2011, 08:00:49 pm »

I have just begun to dispatch and pluck our first lot of hubbards, these are big birds, the first wieghed in at 11lb! However I was not entirely happy about the breed, the poor things grow very quickly (which is fine) but soon cant hold thier weight or stand up at the end. What I would like to do is take 2 of the smallest and cross breed them with an Orpington cockerel (of which I have a few excess!) My figuring is that I would still get quite a large bird but hopefully with long enough legs to take the weight, any thoughts would be appreciated.

egglady · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:20:08 pm »

we had that problem with our first lot too! howver, we changed the feeding slightly for our next batches and find that they dont grow quite so quickly. stopped making food ad lib, gave them a larger area to wander round in so they'd have to work for their food and also added a few layers. meat was still tasty and birds were a better size. hope helpful

princesspiggy · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:26:24 pm »

i thought ud at least get hybrid vigour, and weaken any genetic faults in one breed by outcrossing. worth a try if the hens are capable of living another year?
are hubbards bred from 2 parent hubbards or are they a specific cross of 2 diff strains?
u wont know unless u try. wer experimenting with araucana cross sussex, hoping for more coloured eggs than an aracauna but less feeding than a sussex?

Womble · « **Reply #3 on:** April 14, 2011, 07:53:20 am »

I think the problem is that Hubbards are already hybrids, so won't breed true. Only one way to tell if the double-cross

would work though FF - do report back!

BlueDaisy · « **Reply #4 on:** April 14, 2011, 09:30:21 am »

I have 2 x 20 week old hubbard girls, (who are both quite hefty but still very fit and mobile) which I thought about crossing with orpy cock but I think Orpys are so slow growing that there is potential you would have to wait until they are 20 - 30 weeks before they produce a decent amount of meat on their frame. If you have room and time it is always worth a try though.
I think I would be more inclined to try a different feeding/space regime with the hubbards though. Or get meat birds specifically bred for free-range.

cluckingnuts · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2011, 09:53:29 am »

Do you know which strain they are ? (JA757, JA787, CY etc). I have the parent breeding flock of Master Gris (bred for free ranging) which look nothing like the resulting young that are the end product for slaughter. There are many different genes in the terminal youngsters, segregating them will take many generations. I would be wary using any cocks to breed from as if the dam was an RBM all cocks will be carrying the sex-linked recessive dwarfing gene, the hens will not.
I've never had any problems with growth rate, feeding and exercising are key.

BlueDaisy · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2011, 10:45:37 am »

Quote

Do you know which strain they are ? (JA757, JA787, CY etc). I have the parent breeding flock of Master Gris (bred for free ranging) which look nothing like the resulting young that are the end product for slaughter. There are many different genes in the terminal youngsters, segregating them will take many generations. I would be wary using any cocks to breed from as if the dam was an RBM all cocks will be carrying the sex-linked recessive dwarfing gene, the hens will not.

Interesting.
What is RBM? And do you have hatching eggs for sale from the Master Gris or are they all under contract?

bamford6 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2011, 11:45:14 am »

i would get some http://castlefarmeggs.co.uk/?page_id=787 you no whot you have

Frieslandfilly · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2011, 05:22:57 pm »

Thanks for the replies

a cross section of thoughts, some things for me to think over. Maybe crossing is not such a good idea, I will mull it over

cluckingnuts · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2011, 08:01:44 am »

I have crossed mine, mostly with IG and Dorking. It's all about selecting for the traits you want and be ruthless if they don't. All pure breeds were once 'hybrids'. If it wasn't for people who could be bothered putting time and effort into selective breeding we would still have a light weight chicken laying a dozen or two eggs per year and all look the same.