Any guesses on this breed? And sex?

[ww0473]

This chicken broke into my coop yesterday. Must have escaped from a nearby neighbor, but I don't know who's chicken it is. It is much darker than my buff orphingtons. I think maybe one of the hybrids like red star or red comet or something like that, but I cant find any pictures of them with the white ears and what looks like a dark tail. I think maybe it has molted recently or maybe just starting. I don't see any spurs and my chicken don't act any different around it, so I am assuming it is a hen and not a rooster. Thoughts?

 

[sourland]

It's a hen - looks like a high production cross.

 

[NatJ]

I think maybe one of the hybrids like red star or red comet or something like that, but I cant find any pictures of them with the white ears and what looks like a dark tail.

Hmm, good points there.

The "dark tail" is just a dark feather or two in the tail. The gene that makes white in the tail can let some darker colors leak through.

But the white earlobes are not right for the usual red sexlinks (red star, etc), and I think I also see white barring across the feathers on the wings and some other parts of the body.

It could be something like a "Calico Princess" from Hoovers, or some other recently-developed mix from a hatchery.

Or it could be a barnyard mix from someone's flock, that would not be any particular breed.

I don't see any spurs and my chicken don't act any different around it, so I am assuming it is a hen and not a rooster.

It looks like a hen to me.

 

[First time Chick mom]

I don't know what breed she is, but she must be smart to integrate herself into an established flock. Is she roosting and ranging with your flock?

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

Calico princess hen

 

[ww0473]

I don't know what breed she is, but she must be smart to integrate herself into an established flock. Is she roosting and ranging with your flock?

she has only been here one night. I think she slept on the ground, I didn't see her try to get up in the roost with the other chickens. Today she is out scratching around on the ground like one of the gang, the other chickens don't seem to mind her and she isn't bothering anyone. It will be interesting tonight to see if she follows them in and tries to roost.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Interesting to see if someone comes looking for her. Or if they think a predator got her and next week they drive by... "Hey, that's Fluffy !!"

 

[JedJackson]

I would put her into quarantine away from your flock as soon as possible, as she could spread disease or parasites to them.

Then start asking around in the 'hood to see if anyone is missing a chicken.

It is a hen, and Calico Princess is my guess, too, unless she is just a barnyard mix'

 

[ww0473]

Are there guidelines for how to quarantine a chicken, meaning is there an end to the quarantine? Can you ever tell that a chicken doesnt have a disease or parasites? Or are you suggesting that we permanently keep her away from the other chickens? If permanent, then I gues I might just put her back in the woods and figure a way to keep her from getting back in with my chickens, and let her just find her own way back home. Or is it more like, keep her separated for a week, if she doesnt die, then let her be with the other chickens. There is a pretty good amount of, woods between us and the other neighborhoods, I dont expect anyone is coming looking for her. Last year we heard some roosters coming from that area and egg laying calls, but havent heard that in a long while, I suspect whoever had this chicken set her loose and gave up on raising chickens, and she has been wandering through the woods for a while till she found our flock.

 

[NatJ]

Are there guidelines for how to quarantine a chicken, meaning is there an end to the quarantine? Can you ever tell that a chicken doesnt have a disease or parasites?

Here is an article about quarantine:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/

That article recommends quarantine for at least 4 weeks, but yes there is an end (not permanent.) You cannot ever be positive that the chicken is free of diseases and parasites, but separating her and watching her does give you a better chance of recognizing things before they spread to your flock.

(That article also recommends that any birds who have any contact with the new birds, including just for a car ride home, should be quarantined with the new birds. If you try to follow that advice, you would be quarantining your entire flock WITH the new hen, which is no different from skipping quarantine entirely, since either way involves having her live with the flock.)

You should probably check her thoroughly for any physical issues you can see (mites in feathers, runny nose, scabs on comb, or any other symptoms of disease or ill-health.) If you find a problem, address that problem.

If you do not find any obvious problems when you check her over, I do not know whether you should try to quarantine that hen or not, considering that she's already spent several hours (at least) mingling with your flock, and considering that quarantining a chicken is a bit of a nuisance. My personal guess is that it won't be worth the fuss in this case.