Does anyone out there have any experience with crosses of Australorp rooster X production leghorn hens? I'm not actually planning to do this, but I wonder what it would produce. Thinking about Y2K, what if we all of a sudden had to get on without hatchery replenishment? What if we had to breed from what we and our neighbors have on hand? In such a situation, more people than now keep hens would probably be interested in having some. Any ideas on successful crosses would be much appreciated. Thanks.

The cross that you are suggesting has been developed years ago and was sold as Austra-Whites. The pullets were used for layers laying a good sized tinted egg and the cockerels were fattened out for fryers or broilers. I don't believe they are produced on any great scale anymore as other hybrids proved to be better suited to the cage laying houses. Also after the Austra-Whites were produced they were crossed with a red cock from Rhode Island Reds or New Hampshire Reds which produced a red hen with a white tail that produced mostly brown eggs. These are called Everyday layers and other names such as Comet, etc. Almost any breed that has either egg laying qualities or meat producing qualities have been crossed to see what kind of hybrid would be developed. This has been done with hogs, cattle, sheep, etc. This is known as hybrid vigor and is well known to produce more meat, milk, eggs, etc. especially in the first cross but is diminished in later crosses. You might like to try it. It would be interesting.

I was just talking to an elderly lady today who told me about the Austra-Whites she had over 20 years ago. I had never heard of them before. She said the rooster was interesting in that his feathers would change from mostly black one year to mostly white the next. Sounds like an interesting project.

Thank you both for your very helpful comments and insights. Much appreciated.

Hi There!!!!

Hennie Pennie from Woodburn Oregon here. Me and some other old hens are thinking about starting to raise chickens for commercial use and we were wondering what the profits in doing such would be.

I kinda figured since you chatters have been around the coop for a while you might give me some pointers or know of a link that i could go to that could give me that low down on that information.

Hope you all had a great evening.
Will see you around the coop.

Hennie Pennie/http:joyeller@excelonline.com

Sorry Hennie, I know we raise chickens for the love of it. If we can cover some of our costs, then we're ahead.

I'd like to join the debate about Austra-whites and RIR. My son breeds and shows Rhode Island Reds and he also breeds some cross bred pullets for his own laying shed, friends and neighbours. He bred Australorp (male) X White Leghorn (female) last season and after reading the comments above decided to put a RIR male over these pullets. He is hatching at the moment and the chicks are white with black spots and black with a red tinge.

Dare we hope that this, is colour sex-linked?? His Austra-white pullets are white with some black feathers, does this mean that the white chicks with black spots are male??
The RIR male, is red. The Australorp male from first cross, is black. He is hatching black chicks with a red tinge.
Does anyone have any experience with this second cross, or do we have to wait?