breeding chickens?

[2+bump]

I've had black rocks for over a year now and considering starting breeding for the table.

My question is can I chose any breed?

Been offered a Black Silkie that I could get this week, would that be ok to breed with Black Rocks?

Any advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated

[JulieSherris]

A silkie might be a bit on the small side for the blackrock hen if you're looking for table birds, I would have thought.

I have 2 blackrock girls & our main rooster is a large rhode island red, giving quite a substantial size table bird & also nice eggs from the hens. I think I'm right in saying that the Blackrock line comes from the Rhode Island Red in the first place, so using a RIR rooster seems to make sense.

Good luck!

[2+bump]

thanks for the replies, yes they are a cross between black rock and rhode island red.

i did wonder if they might be a bit on the small side, so size really does count then hehe

i dont plan to have an incubator, just really to let nature take its course. is that how you breed yours?

[JulieSherris]

Hi 2+, I tend to use an incubator all year round for the chicks & the ducks.
A the moment, I have a turkey sitting, but I'm pretty sure that our very 'testosterone-driven' turkey tom hasn't performed, so the eggs won't be viable
If any of the birds turn broody, then fine, I let them sit, but I don't depend on them & find that they tend to hatch 50% of the eggs, where I get 95% success in the incubator.

I have one muscovy duck who hatched 4 ducks & struts around the garden with them - another muscovy is sitting on a dozen eggs, soon to hatch. So far, no broody hens, but fingers crossed.

I have 22 ducks between 10 days & 10 weeks old, then 24 chicks between 2 days & 10 weeks. The ducks were let out into the garden today, & I will love them forever... they savaged a large area of ground elder!