what sex/breed/color are these?

amyopoka

In the Brooder
Jan 19, 2017
17
2
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I recently acquired some baby easter egger crosses from a friend who was breeding crosses just for fun and I picked out some babies who were "pretty". Unfortunately, I think I might've picked badly and gotten cockerels. LOL Anyway, previously I had always bought breeds from hatcheries and this is my first foray into "I wonder what the cross/color/sex is" It got me to start reading about chicken genetics but I am still confused about color terminology for some of the colors. Any good summaries with real good pictures that you guys can point me to?
So I got four babies, they are about 6 weeks now. One is white, but really a very pale tan? what is that color called? and what sex do you think? I think she is a pullet, based on behavior and comb.
Then there is a small frizzle, a bit younger, and not sure you can tell the sex on her yet because she might be too small still. The other two, I am afraid are both cockerels. The white and black one (white with barred black? is that what it's called?) I think I actually heard his first crowing attempt, so pretty sure he's a boy. The other one is black with some white "barring?" but has no tail, and the comb is not as big, but very reddish. Still, that one is very aggressive and puffs his neck feathers up and beats all the other ones up. Also the head on both of those looks "masculine". But they are crosses and I can't remember what she told me they might be crossed with so the combs could be different. And not sure if it's a breed difference for the head shape? Anyway, it's been a good learning experience. Thanks for any input!




 
welcome-byc.gif


First bird looks like a pullet.

the other two large birds are cockerels.

the little frizzle....I'm not sure yet. How old is it? Can you get a better comb shot?

edited---when you mix colors, you often get non-standard colors, where there is no "name" for the color. That's most of what I'm seeing here.
 
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welcome-byc.gif


First bird looks like a pullet.

the other two large birds are cockerels.

the little frizzle....I'm not sure yet. How old is it? Can you get a better comb shot?

edited---when you mix colors, you often get non-standard colors, where there is no "name" for the color. That's most of what I'm seeing here.
x2
 
Thank you for the input, and the explanation on the color problem I ran into when trying to figure it out! That makes sense, crazy color combinations that aren't real "standard" colors. That's one of the coolest things about chickens are all the fun combinations of colors/eggs you can get in a flock.
My frizzle I think is 4-5 weeks old? He isn't even completely feathered yet, but close.
Thanks
 
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Bummer, but that's what I was afraid of too. How can you tell? Simply because the comb is a bit pinker?

So, since this is my first foray into roosters, for those of you who breed your own, when and how do you cull your extra roosters?
I might keep one, but I definitely do not need 3 roosters! The problem is the frizzle is cute and the white and black one is pretty and sweet. The black with the white is not as nice and I won't have any trouble culling that one.
 
Hi

I would agree with the others....most likely 3 cockerels. The frizzle has a pea comb. A pea comb with 3 rows of peas which he has, usually indicates a male whereas a single row of peas is usually female and the pinkness at that young age also strengthens the case for it being a cockerel.

I keep my cockerels until they are a size worth eating, usually about 6 months for mixed breeds and then I use the broomstick method to despatch them as it's pretty fool proof and quick. Most people who cull to eat use a killing cone and bleed them though.

The temperament of them will often change at adolescence and you may find that they are no longer cute and culling all of them might be an option. There will be more meat on the two larger ones, so that is worth considering and the little frizzle will probably be a little less hard on any hens/pullets you have when mating, just simply because he will be smaller and lighter, so that might be something else in favour of keeping him.
 
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welcome-byc.gif


First bird looks like a pullet.

the other two large birds are cockerels.

the little frizzle....I'm not sure yet. How old is it? Can you get a better comb shot?

edited---when you mix colors, you often get non-standard colors, where there is no "name" for the color. That's most of what I'm seeing here.

agree the frizzle is a cockerel though
sad.png
 
Hi

I would agree with the others....most likely 3 cockerels. The frizzle has a pea comb. A pea comb with 3 rows of peas which he has, usually indicates a male whereas a single row of peas is usually female and the pinkness at that young age also strengthens the case for it being a cockerel.

I keep my cockerels until they are a size worth eating, usually about 6 months for mixed breeds and then I use the broomstick method to despatch them as it's pretty fool proof and quick. Most people who cull to eat use a killing cone and bleed them though.

The temperament of them will often change at adolescence and you may find that they are no longer cute and culling all of them might be an option. There will be more meat on the two larger ones, so that is worth considering and the little frizzle will probably be a little less hard on any hens/pullets you have when mating, just simply because he will be smaller and lighter, so that might be something else in favour of keeping him.
Pretty much all this is what I would have said.

the Meat bird section has good information on culling.
 

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