Camouflage-y! That's the word I was looking for when trying to compare to Campine chicks and others that have the primitive markings designed by nature to protect (hide - camouflage) babies. No striping like "chipmunks" that are seen in many other purebreeds either. Something else I noticed when comparing photos was the pigment on the skin surrounding the eyes. While the Campines and others I see beautiful "eyeliner", what I don't see is the mix-n-match that is on these "dalmatian" chicks... if you look closely around their eyes in one the three photos I originally posted (taken courtesy of one of my daughters) you can see that the black and white intermingles around the skin of the eyes (not just the down, actually pigment in the skin).
Even though I haven't pinpointed what they are yet, much thanks to everyone here I am beginning to eliminate possibilities or at least rate some possibilities.
I am, as I will probably continue to say often, way out of the loop, could someone clarify on "EE" for me please? I'm not up on all the lingo, acronyms, etc.
I need to call PH (again) and ask them if, with their website down (hey I even offered to fix their problem!) if they can receive emails with photos attached or links to the web so that someone in-the-know could look at this pair and tell me what they are. Now that I have confirmed not only a large number of them at at least one TSC local to me but also another one, it's obvious they aren't entirely a fluke - it's something PH is breeding for. I would think that if they got some roos and hens mixed up for breeding, that there would have been more variation in the offspring - so it's either a purebred or something they have been working on to establish as a purebred and releasing now to the public. I don't think it's a sex-link though because in the straight run assortment I saw, I could pretty much ID everything else.
TennesseeTruly - if I may ask, and feel free to PM the answer if you do answer, whereabouts in TN are you located? (assuming you are, you may be TN-born and transplanted somewhere else). Reason I ask is because I'm in TN.
Thanks everyone - keep on posting, I'm still trying to pin these babies down!
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