- Apr 23, 2010
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Hi all, I have two chicks that my Black Star hen hatched out on 9/8 (5 weeks old today). I know it's still very early, but I'd love to get some feedback from all of you experts. I have my suspicions based on what I've read, but I'm still a relative newbie and the feathering pattern on the EE has me a bit puzzled. Behavior-wise, they're both quite tame and curious around me (though I think this has a lot to do with their mother, who is super friendly and leads them right over to me whenever I walk outside.)
Please weigh in with your expertise (or just your best guess), and I promise to keep updating with pictures until we know for sure!
Speckled Sussex (5 weeks) -- from what I've read the white chest is a bad sign, is there any hope for this little one?
Comb shot -- EE (5 weeks) Edit: there are 3 very small rows visible, the middle row is slightly more prominent.
Both chicks feathered out quickly and developed very straight, prominent tails right away.
Chest shot -- SS (left) feathered out pure white, and is now getting some brown flecks. EE's chest feathered out in a salmon/orange color, head appears to be feathering out the same.
The EE developed some orange feathers on the wing that are now appearing all over the body, they're more of a salmon color than a brick red so I'm hoping this is a pullet?
The EE's body shape, tail, and posture remind me a lot of the other EE hens I've had, but I'm just not sure about those orange spots...
For comparison, this is the two of them on day 17. At that point someone told me the well-defined blaze on the EE's head was common in female chicks. You can't see it here, but the SS also had a very dark, well-defined blaze (but I think that's the case for both male and female SS.)
Please weigh in with your expertise (or just your best guess), and I promise to keep updating with pictures until we know for sure!
Speckled Sussex (5 weeks) -- from what I've read the white chest is a bad sign, is there any hope for this little one?
Comb shot -- EE (5 weeks) Edit: there are 3 very small rows visible, the middle row is slightly more prominent.
Both chicks feathered out quickly and developed very straight, prominent tails right away.
Chest shot -- SS (left) feathered out pure white, and is now getting some brown flecks. EE's chest feathered out in a salmon/orange color, head appears to be feathering out the same.
The EE developed some orange feathers on the wing that are now appearing all over the body, they're more of a salmon color than a brick red so I'm hoping this is a pullet?
The EE's body shape, tail, and posture remind me a lot of the other EE hens I've had, but I'm just not sure about those orange spots...
For comparison, this is the two of them on day 17. At that point someone told me the well-defined blaze on the EE's head was common in female chicks. You can't see it here, but the SS also had a very dark, well-defined blaze (but I think that's the case for both male and female SS.)
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