Breeding LF Hen on the small side to bigger LF Rooster??

[CindyM]

I am working on 2 project colors and have a few hens which are on the smaller than standard LF side. The Roosters are LF and up to standards for size(not from the project). Anyone used larger roosters with smaller hens and what were your results? The hens aren't bantam size, sorry I haven't weighed them. I would say they are in between like the Lavenders were a few years ago. I really have no other options as no males were produced with the desired colors/traits needed for the projects.

I don't want the hens to be injured or killed and I don't plan on leaving the roosters in with them for prolonged periods of time. I also worry about the egg size versus the size of the chick and hatchability. This may be a little over thinking the process but I would like to get some advice first  With feed prices I hope to plan all hatches a little more carefully.

[Beth C]

My lavender pullets were initially very small - around 3 lbs. I bred them to larger males and over 2 generations have increased their size quite a bit, although they are still not as large as I'd like them. I have also, in an attempt to produce both replacement layers & faster growing meat birds, crossed my Ameraucanas w/NH Reds. The males from this cross are much larger than my Ameraucana males (but very docile). They run together outside the breeding season and have not injured any of the smaller females. In mammals I've seen issues with smaller females having difficult births when bred to much larger males (i.e. pony to horse), but that has not been my experience with chickens. They seem to lay the same size eggs and the chicks have just grown larger over time.

I have a fairly small group of birds, though - others here may have had different results.

[Cats Cradle]

I think you will be fine.  I have hatched several bantam eggs (small eggs from very small mixed hens) that were clearly sired by our "production reds."  The chicks hatch out just fine and hatch rates have been very close to 100% of eggs set.  The chicks are healthy and vigorous and within just a few days the they are clearly larger and growing faster than the other bantam chicks.  The hens have not seemed to be negatively affected in any way either.

Like Beth, I am only relaying personal experience from our small flock.  But, my 3 bantam hens are quite small and the reds are full sized birds, so it is a significant size difference.

[bantamhill]

No worries here. They will do fine!

Michael

[CindyM]

Thanks so much for the replies. I was going to hold of on breeding with my LF Roosters but I am glad I posted this question. I can definately improve on size much quicker which makes me very excited to fire up those incubators as soon as these hens start laying 

[Korfus Kluckers]

I have had some very large males. I had on in particular that would not ride on the back of the female but straddle her when he mated. I would not worry to much. Just keep a close eye on them to make sure no injury takes place. You might also put the male in with her every few days and not keep him in there full time.

I used a LF Orpington male. Which was about 3-4 lbs larger than my brown red females, with no problems. I also am working on LF chocolate Orpingtons. The male in again 2-4 lbs bigger than the females and I have had no problems with that mating either. I hope this helps.