Hobbies And Interests
Broodiness
Some hens make better mothers than others. This is a trait called "broodiness;" one example of an excellent "broody" mother is the Bantam. The negative trait of Bantams, however, is the small size of both eggs and the amount of meat the bird provides. One solution is to breed a Bantam rooster with a larger breed not known for their "broodiness," such as the Andalusian.
Egg Production
If the main purpose behind your raising chickens is to gather their eggs, a Plymouth Rock or Leghorn will make a good choice. The drawback is that Plymouth Rocks roosters are very aggressive chickens. Breeding the more docile Dorking or Rhode Island Red roosters with a Plymouth Rock hen should give you chicks that will have the Dorking temperament and the Plymouth Rock egg laying abilities. If any of the chicks turn out to be roosters, their aggressiveness may be reduced.
Meat Production
The Dorking is known for its very tasty white meat. If you are raising chickens for meat, you may try mating a Dorking with a Buckeye or a Cornish Rock. The Cornish Rock is known for tasty meat, but not for being sustainable as many die at a young age. Hopefully the sustainability and strength of the Dorking will pass on to the Cornish Rock cross-bred chicks.
Show Purposes
Some chickens are bred specifically for show purposes. The crested breeds with the striking cap of feathers on their heads are bred for their unique looks. Some are blue, others black, and some white. Another chicken bred for show is the Turken, or naked neck chickens. These chickens have no feathers on their necks giving the appearance of an elongated neck. Though not particularly beautiful, the odd appearance they have is a curiosity for some. Cross-breed different show breeds for truly original combinations.