Any two chickens can be cross bred. These cross breedings listed here are the most common that will yield a recognized resulting breed.

Also note that the New Hampshire Rooster can be interchanged with a Rhode Island Red Rooster.

Day Old Barred Rock Chicks

Blue Plymouth Rock Rooster

Young Blue Barred Plymouth Rock Rooster

Blue Rock Hen

Blue Rock Hen just about at breeding age

Hard Boiling Fresh Eggs

We have many people call or write to us about how to hard boil fresh eggs. When you are used to store bought eggs that have been sitting in some warehouse for months it can be quite frustrating to hard boil fresh eggs and go to peel them and have them break all apart.

There are many different ways and remedies that are used for cooking fresh eggs. There is poking a small hole in one end, adding vinegar to the water, different methods of heating and cooling and so on.

The way that we have found that works best for us is as follows;

With a suitable size pot, add enough water that will cover the eggs you are going to cook. Add a good amount of salt to the water, say 2 tablespoons to 4 cups of water. Bring your water to a boil. When the water is at full boil, gently lower your eggs into the water using a spoon. Let them boil for 15 minutes for hard boil, less time if you like your eggs softer. When time is up, turn off the stove and remove pan from heat. Run cold water into the pan to displace the hot water. Continue running cold water over the eggs until they are cool to the touch. When cool, roll each egg on the counter or on a towel to crack the shell into many small pieces. Now gently peel the shell off the egg. They should peel just like store bought eggs. 

Coloring Easter Eggs

With Easter just around the corner, many people are looking for fun and unusual ways to color the eggs. You could always run down to the store and pick up a coloring kit but what fun is that? Maybe you can't get to town or maybe a deluxe coloring kit is just not in your budget, have no fear. There are many things that could just be laying around the house that make wonderful dyes and patterns for your eggs.

Egg coloring dyes can be simply made by adding different items to a mixture of water and vinegar. Simply boil 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, add your "dye" and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain this into a suitable container for dyeing your eggs.

Dyes can be made from just about anything that will stain your hands or clothes.
1 tablespoon of Jello or Kool-Aid - Various Colors
1/2 cup Blueberries - Blue
7oz box of Red Hots - Red
2 tablespoons Turmeric Powder - Yellow
1/2 cup chopped Beets - Red
12 Now and Later Candies - Green
1/4 cup Blackberries - Dark Blue

To add more fun to your dye jobs get out the kids crayons and make designs on the eggs before dyeing. The dye will not penetrate where the crayon is. Or use pieces of tape to block out areas that you do not want dyed. Dye the egg a light color, apply tape designs and then dip in a darker color for multi colored eggs. The possibilities are endless, just use your imagination.

How To's, What For's and Why Not's

Most Common Chicken Cross Breeds

Barred Rock Hen + New Hampshire Rooster = Black Sex Link
     Both sexes hatch out black, but the males have a white dot on their heads.

Delaware Hen + New Hampshire Rooster = Red Sex Link or Red Star
     Roosters hatch out white and, depending on the cross, feather out to pure white or with some black feathering. Hens darker with darker neck patch.

New Hampshire Hen + Delaware Rooster = Delaware

Silver Laced Wyandotte Hen + New Hampshire Rooster = Cinnamon Queen
    Hens brownish red. Roosters white.

New Hampshire Hen + Rhode Island Rooster = Production Red

Rhode Island Hen + New Hampshire Rooster = Cherry Egger or Red Cross

White Rock Hen + New Hampshire Rooster = Golden Comet
   Parent White Rock Hen must have silver factor. Hens red and white. Roosters white.

White Leghorn Hen + New Hampshire Rooster = Red Sex Link or Red Star
     Males hatch out white and, depending on the cross, feather out to pure white or with some black feathering

Black Australorp Hen + New Hampshire Rooster = Black Cross

NOTE: In sex link chicks, Hens will be of sex link color and roosters will be color of parent hen.

Color Genes