New Brahma Group: Blue Partridge x Partridge, Plus Dark

[speckledhen]

Picture #1 - cockerel Check! (meaning that's what I'd decided, too)
# 2 - boys Check!
# 3 - boy, girl, girl Check!
# 4 - (from the top) boy, girl, boy Check!
# 5 - boy Absolutely! Same chick as #1pic
# 6 - can't tell from that angle Yes, bad angle
# 7 - girl, ?, boy Agree on the end ones, the one in the middle may be a cockerel-feathering super slow but exactly same very dark color as #1. He is the slowest feathering but the comb is beginning to turn as well. Hard to tell in that photo, I realize.
# 8 - girl (75% sure) From your lips to God's ear! That's my #2 Dark, which I thought was male, but now, not sure . Hope girl!
# 9 - (2 on top) probably girl (top), girl Agree!
# 10 & 11 (same chick?) - boy Yes, same chick, I also think boy

My humble opinion!

Thank you! I didn't do too bad on sexing then, yea! Guess I'm learning. Thanks SO much for this. You are the Brahma gal I think of every time I look at mine. I read your Brahmalot thread from time to time, mostly to look at the gorgeous pictures.
Any other comments are very much appreciated!

 

[Sjisty]

You're welcome! Look at the shoulder feathers. If they come in laced, it's a girl; solid, it's a boy. That is usually my first clue.

 

[speckledhen]

You're welcome! Look at the shoulder feathers. If they come in laced, it's a girl; solid, it's a boy. That is usually my first clue.

Yup, that's what I was watching for in addition to the chest feathers. In a week or so, they all should be very clear and then I'll see if I called one too soon or not. I'd be thrilled if the 2nd Dark Brahma was a pullet, too. That way, they can both stay.

 

[brahmapapa]

Hello, sorry i haven't replied to your recent im's but going thru very trying personal times. That #1 boy looks like some evidence of vulture hochs but not sure from the angle of the pic. If they are just soft hock feathers thats ok but if you see any primary feathers in hock cull it. That last hen is going to be a beauty, i really love that color paterning with the nice blue, especially in the neck feathers. I have had no incidence of vulture hocks in a few years now. i f i were making the chouce between which boy chick to keep, i would keep the blue partridge as my blues are better conformation, larger and i think so **** handsome. Glad you are enjoying raising them up, i am sure you will love them. BTW I would rely on Sjisty's call on sexes, she has dealt with these color patterns for a few years. From my experience any chicks that feather out with partridge type pattern on the full wings and shoulder wing coverlets with no areas of other color, black, white etc can be relied on to be hens. They seem to be doing great, wishing you continued good luck and success. Tom

 

[speckledhen]

Hello, sorry i haven't replied to your recent im's but going thru very trying personal times. That #1 boy looks like some evidence of vulture hochs but not sure from the angle of the pic. If they are just soft hock feathers thats ok but if you see any primary feathers in hock cull it. That last hen is going to be a beauty, i really love that color paterning with the nice blue, especially in the neck feathers. I have had no incidence of vulture hocks in a few years now. i f i were making the chouce between which boy chick to keep, i would keep the blue partridge as my blues are better conformation, larger and i think so **** handsome. Glad you are enjoying raising them up, i am sure you will love them. BTW I would rely on Sjisty's call on sexes, she has dealt with these color patterns for a few years. From my experience any chicks that feather out with partridge type pattern on the full wings and shoulder wing coverlets with no areas of other color, black, white etc can be relied on to be hens. They seem to be doing great, wishing you continued good luck and success. Tom

Tom, so happy you posted! I'm sorry to hear about your troubles; I was a little worried that something was wrong, but had hoped you were just busy. Hope things are looking up for you, though! Take care of yourself!

I had really hoped to get a blue Partridge male to keep since I just love their coloring. They are looking awesome. I'm not sure any have vulture hocks at all right now. Will wait until they are older to see if the feathers are hard or just the soft ones, but I'm not worried too much about it right now. I got just enough to get a nice breeding group from them so thank you again. I'll keep updating and taking pictures, probably so much everyone will be sick of me, but they are so pretty, I can't help myself.

 

[1muttsfan]

Anyone who does not like the posts can move along

 

[speckledhen]

Anyone who does not like the posts can move along

 

[speckledhen]

The Brahmas were put back with the four Barred Rocks I'm keeping and the fun begins anew. The BRs love to torture the Brahmas, though they are outnumbered (4 BRs to 9 Brahmas). They'll calm down, especially when the Brahmas begin to outsize them.

I still am not 100% sure the 2nd Dark Brahma is pullet or cockerel. Hmm. And the tall Blue Partridge still looks boyish but no actual shiny red shoulder feathers (yet). I believe I have three Partridge cockerels, not two as previously decided. But as long as I have three pullets to put with my chosen male, I'm good. Four would be better, but I'll take what I can get.






This Dark-male or female? I had it pegged as male, but it's not looking all that male right now.

 

[Sjisty]

She still looks girly to me.

 

[speckledhen]

She still looks girly to me.

That would be awesome. The hackles are coming in dark/solid looking but the chest and shoulder feathers appear patterned to me. I'm not sure how the hackles look on a Dark Brahma pullet at this age. No pink in the comb. The thing that is odd about this if it's a pullet is that the body shape is elongated whereas the definite Dark pullet, B.J., is very round and the patterning seems different; even the down color was different. The chick in question had a grayish-brown appearance while B.J. appeared almost chocolate colored. Not having had this color before, I wasn't sure if that was just individual difference or sex-related difference. Any ideas on that from those in the know?

Of course, time will tell. I think I'm just so tired in the heat/humidity that I want everyone to declare himself/herself so I can rehome the ones I can't keep sooner rather than later. The first reason is because I just don't have the room but the real reason is because I am going to be so attached to these! Golly, they are such beautiful chicks!

My revamped inventory is, of the pullets, I have 1 blue Partridge, 2 Partridge and 1 Dark (or 2 if that one is, indeed, female). That's only 4, maybe 5 pullets total. If it's only 4, very definitely there are no extra girls and all will stay. If it's five, even if she's extra, I still don't like to rehome just one chick if I don't have to do that. A 5th could live with another group, if need be.