Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Trevorr]

Does anyone know whether this is done using a Marans cockerel and Rhode Island Red hens or vice versa

Or does it not matter

Thanks

[Valkyrie]

Well I'm not an expert, but my grandfather had a Rhode cock and Light Sussex hens. As a result my mum's favourite hen was a speckledy hen (named after a highwayman that kept escaping like her chicken - Jack Shepherd). She can't remember much about the others apart from brown and mixed. That was well before my time during the war! SECOND world war that is and not according to my daughter - the Crimea!!!

Good luck with the venture and I'm sure someone will be along soon to help.

[sjp]

there's 3 crosses for a speckledy or speckled hen hybrids ones as above the 2nd uses a barred rock and maran the 3rd uses a barred rock and a RIR but I can't find with way round the cross is done. I think the maran and the barred rock are the cockerels in the RIR crosses and the barred rock in the other one

[Trevorr]

Thanks for the replies but I am fairly sure that Marans and Rhode Island are the two ingredients

Anyway we are going to try both ways around and see - the Marans has just gone in with two Rhode islands and we will try the other way round (RI cockerel and Marans hens next)

Would be good to know if one way is right though