Chicken and Turkey Hybrids
There have been attempted crosses between domestic turkeys (Meleagris gallapavo) and chickens. According to Gray in 12 studies no hybrids hatched. Other reports found only a few fertile eggs were produced and very few resulted in advance embryos. According to Olsen, 23 hybrids were obtained from 302 embryos which resulted from 2132 eggs. Dark Cornish cockerels and Rhode Island Red cockerels successfully fertilised turkey eggs. Harada & Buss reported hybridisation experiments between Beltsville Small White Turkeys and two strains of chickens. When male chickens inseminated female turkeys, both male and female embryos form, but the males are much less viable and usually die in the early stages of development. When male turkeys inseminated female chickens, no hybrids resulted although the unfertilised chicken eggs began to divide. According to Olson turkey-chicken crosses produced all males.
A supposed Turkey x Pheasant hybrid was reported by Edwards in 1761.
Read more about this topic: Chicken Hybrids
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