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Dorking? Silver Leghorn? or ??? (Pic Heavy)

Poll Results: What breed are these ladies?

 
  • 33% (2)
    Silver Dorking
  • 50% (3)
    Silver Leghorn
  • 16% (1)
    Mutt Birds--The hatchery was lying
  • 0% (0)
    Something Else
6 Total Votes  
post #1 of 10
7/16/12 at 4:03pm
Thread Starter 

I have a pair of hens, just over a year old, whose breed is a mystery to me.  I got them from a friend as pullets--she had a double order of Murray McMurray's Rare Breed Layers, and gave some of her extras to me.  Ever since, I have been trying to pin down what they are, For a long time, I had settled on Silver Leghorn, but now I am leaning more towards Silver Dorking.

 

Pros for Dorking:

-more docile than my other birds (Spanish and Polish)

-white legs

-possible fifth "toe"  (or spur?  on a hen?  see pics below)

 

Cons:

-smaller than I thought a Dorking would be

-check out the white earlobes:

 

closeup.jpg

 

Everything I've read about Dorkings says they are an oddity in that they have red earlobes but lay white eggs. These girls of mine do NOT have red earlobes....but then neither does this girl in a pic from feathersite, so I dunno:

 

SilverGreyDorkingH.JPEG

 

Anyway, here are a few more pics of my gray-feathered girls.  (Their names are Rock-egg and Loudy, so dubbed by my two boys.)

 

whole.jpg

 

IMAG0709.jpg

 

pair.jpg

 

And here are the spur/toe things in question.  (I promise that this is a she, and that she lays eggs!)

 

IMAG0705.jpg

 

What do you guys think?  I am still a relative newbie...this is my first little flock. 

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply
post #2 of 10
7/16/12 at 4:09pm

That is her spurs and not a fifth toe.  The fifth toe would be located right by the back toe and actually be connected to the back toe.  Dorkings also have very short legs for their body size and have a very low slung look to them.  Leghorns SHOULD have yellow legs.  I think you have hatchery quality Leghorns.

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post #3 of 10
7/16/12 at 4:19pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks, akcountrygrrl.  I have heard that hatchery chickens are often not carefully bred to the standard.
 

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply
post #4 of 10
7/16/12 at 5:32pm

looks like a hatchery leghorn 

owner of Itty Bitty Dowden Family Farm: https://www.facebook.com/#!/IttyBittyDowdenFamilyFarm

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owner of Itty Bitty Dowden Family Farm: https://www.facebook.com/#!/IttyBittyDowdenFamilyFarm

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post #5 of 10
7/17/12 at 1:33pm
Thread Starter 

Ok, so most likely a pair of Leghorns.  How common is it to find hens with spurs?  Is it a Leghorn thing?
 

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply
post #6 of 10
7/17/12 at 1:42pm

Actually any hen can grow spurs, it has to do with masculine hormones, I forget what there called for a second. Oh I got its the levels of testosterone.

 

Whit's Flock (My Chickens, Rabbit & Pigeons) (Click to show)

 

~Whittni, a happy owner of: 2 Wyandottes, 2 Prodution Reds, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Black Sexlink, 1 Rosecomb Bantam rooster, 2 Japanese Bantams, 3 Barred Rock Bantams, 1 Cochin Bantam, 1 OEGB and 1 Silkie Bantam.

 

 

 

Reply

 

Whit's Flock (My Chickens, Rabbit & Pigeons) (Click to show)

 

~Whittni, a happy owner of: 2 Wyandottes, 2 Prodution Reds, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Black Sexlink, 1 Rosecomb Bantam rooster, 2 Japanese Bantams, 3 Barred Rock Bantams, 1 Cochin Bantam, 1 OEGB and 1 Silkie Bantam.

 

 

 

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post #7 of 10
7/17/12 at 5:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by akcountrygrrl View Post

That is her spurs and not a fifth toe.  The fifth toe would be located right by the back toe and actually be connected to the back toe.  Dorkings also have very short legs for their body size and have a very low slung look to them.  Leghorns SHOULD have yellow legs.  I think you have hatchery quality Leghorns.

x2

Seems like the white egg layers and the gamey types are more likely to have spurs as hens, just my very non scientific back yard observations. Also more likely to increase with age, I've had dual purpose hatchery hens get spurs after 3 years old.

Rachel BB
 

Well, the kittens aren't so cute anymore and the easter egger cockerels are in the freezer. Plus, I think offering them as "prizes" scared folks off! So, I'm still posting quotes, if you know it let me know. I'm very enamored of this new one, it may hang around for a while!

 

"If I'd known the world was ending I'd have brought better books"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reply

Rachel BB
 

Well, the kittens aren't so cute anymore and the easter egger cockerels are in the freezer. Plus, I think offering them as "prizes" scared folks off! So, I'm still posting quotes, if you know it let me know. I'm very enamored of this new one, it may hang around for a while!

 

"If I'd known the world was ending I'd have brought better books"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reply
post #8 of 10
7/17/12 at 6:07pm

I'd say you have a hatchery quality Silver Leghorn. The hatchery might have even mixed their Silver Leghorns with their Silver Dorkings which would explain the pink legs. 

BLUE CAMAS BANTAMS


Blue/Black/Splash Bantam Plymouth Rocks

 

http://bluecamasbantams.weebly.com/

 

 

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BLUE CAMAS BANTAMS


Blue/Black/Splash Bantam Plymouth Rocks

 

http://bluecamasbantams.weebly.com/

 

 

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post #9 of 10
7/17/12 at 6:15pm
i have a silver duckwing old english game bantam that looks exactly like that but a bit smaller. even the pink legs-i think thats a silver duckwing thing.
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post #10 of 10
7/18/12 at 6:17am
Thread Starter 

Ok, so Silver Duckwing Leghorns it is....I guess I was right in the first place! roll.png

 

Whatever those two are, they are the sweetest of my five.  They will let me pet and handle them with out FREAKING OUT like my Spanish ladies.smile.png

 

Thanks you guys!
 

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply

2 Silver Leghorn, 2 White-Faced Black Spanish, and 1 Gaga (White-Crested Black Polish)
Y'all be patient with the new girl...I promise I learn fast.

Reply
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