Anyone ever cross a buff orpington and ISA brown leghorn?

[jamesglasman72]

I am curious what an ISA brown leghorn hen crossed with a Buff orpington rooster would look like, what there egg production is like and what there temperament would be like. Has anyone ever done this cross or something like it?

 

[GodofPecking]

Isa brown is a brand like toyota or nissan. It's a hybrid rather than a breed, and it has a well earned reputation for dying a random, ugly miserable death at about 1/4 of the age of regular chooks. Isa's put all their energy into laying rather than internal organs and functions, so they wear out and lose feathers early. They are an extremely poor choice for backyards or pets generally.

 

[Michael OShay]

Isa Browns are not Leghorns. They are one of a number of labels under which some hatcheries market their Red Sex Links which are produced by crossing a red gene rooster with a silver gene hen. Not only can the chicks be sexed by color at hatching (male chicks are whitish, female chicks are reddish), but they are egg laying machines outlaying either parent breed. It's one of the interesting quirks of hybirdization. I haven't personally had the serious health problems with Isa Browns that GodofPecking has and you will get mixed opinions about the hardiness of Isa Browns, but I wouldn't personally recommend crossing them with your Buff Orpington rooster. The offspring will just be a barnyard mix (Isa Browns don't breed true even when crossed with each other), and will likely not lay as well as your Isa Brown hens. If you want to breed chickens, I would suggest getting some Buff Orpington hens to go with your BO rooster.

 

[GodofPecking]

I agree, it is best to go BO rather than ISA. Any hen and Rooster from a proper breed will breed true.

THe temperament of a chook will vary greatly with it's upbringing. As a rule, chooks incubated and then hatched out and cared for by a backyard hobbyist have a lovely friendly temperament. They consider people to be friendly chooks

Poor temperament comes from chooks raised away from humans, by chooks that have had a hard time with people before, and warn their chicks to be wary I'd say. So you'll have friendly chooks no doubt.

 

[jamesglasman72]

I Have had Isa brown for about 8 years now and usually have about 60 of them in the coop I decided to try some buff Orpington's this year as well and plan on hatching out some buff Orpington's. I was just wondering what a buff Orpington cross would be like. I probably won't keep the buff Orpington's or very long as they aren't hardy enough to live with the Isa browns.

 

[Michael OShay]

I probably won't keep the buff Orpington's or very long as they aren't hardy enough to live with the Isa browns.

Buff Orpingtons won't lay as many eggs per year as the Isa Browns and due to their calm and gentle temperament they will generally lose out on the pecking order to the Isa Browns, but as regards to hardiness, the Orpingtons generally live considerably longer than Isa Browns and still lay (often for several years) after the Isa Browns' laying has burned out.

 

[jamesglasman72]

ya that's what I was meaning the pecking order my Isa browns where pecking 2" long rips on the he rears of my buff Orrington's until I found out about pin less peepers that would prevent even roosters from beating up on each other. I put them on all of the Isa browns about 3 weeks ago and so far so good. But yes I do agree the Isa browns annual production is a lot better than the buff Orrington's as for the life span the isa browns will only live for 3-4 years and the buff orpingtons can live up to 18 years and still lay eggs.

 

[trentoldenburg]

I may be a little late on this subject, however, I have 3 buff Orpington and ISA Brown mixes in my flock. One rooster and two hens. The rooster is, big, gorgeous, calmly tempered, and a gentleman to the ladies. As for the hens, they are some of the friendliest birds I've ever owned, get an appealing buff/light brown feather, and each lay an egg or two every day. They are the best birds I've ever owned and will, without a doubt, continue to own them.

 

[Barbara Q Dad]

I may be a little late on this subject, however, I have 3 buff Orpington and ISA Brown mixes in my flock. One rooster and two hens. The rooster is, big, gorgeous, calmly tempered, and a gentleman to the ladies. As for the hens, they are some of the friendliest birds I've ever owned, get an appealing buff/light brown feather, and each lay an egg or two every day. They are the best birds I've ever owned and will, without a doubt, continue to own them.

I may be a little late on this subject, however, I have 3 buff Orpington and ISA Brown mixes in my flock. One rooster and two hens. The rooster is, big, gorgeous, calmly tempered, and a gentleman to the ladies. As for the hens, they are some of the friendliest birds I've ever owned, get an appealing buff/light brown feather, and each lay an egg or two every day. They are the best birds I've ever owned and will, without a doubt, continue to own them.

I presently am trying to mate my Polish Buff Roo (Elvis) with 4 of my Isa browns and 1 of my Barred Rock hens. I would appreciate a pic of your girls to give me a rough idea what mine are going to look like.

 

[rockethoe]

ya that's what I was meaning the pecking order my Isa browns where pecking 2" long rips on the he rears of my buff Orrington's until I found out about pin less peepers that would prevent even roosters from beating up on each other. I put them on all of the Isa browns about 3 weeks ago and so far so good. But yes I do agree the Isa browns annual production is a lot better than the buff Orrington's as for the life span the isa browns will only live for 3-4 years and the buff orpingtons can live up to 18 years and still lay eggs.

How did this project turn out? What was the lay rate and feed efficiency like?