Pure BCM or mixed chicks? Black combs

[Jlwarn92]

Curious about these chicks hatched out by our broody. The farm I got the eggs from breeds BCM, Amerucanas, and I believe maybe Brahmas too? Anyways since hatch they have been completely black, bottoms of their feet and their combs too. Just curious if these are pure BCM and if so will they grow out of the black combs or keep them. They are about 2.5 weeks old now, they have light feathering on their legs. Thanks!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

They look mix, though there might be one or two that is pure. Their feathering on their legs is too thin. Do you know what the farm's rooster was?

 

[Jlwarn92]

They look mix, though there might be one or two that is pure. Their feathering on their legs is too thin. Do you know what the farm's rooster was?

I know at least a BCM and a Amerucana, I’m not sure what others were there. I was told there was a chance they could be olive eggers but I don’t see much Amerucana in their features, maybe as they get older? Thank you for the response! I don’t know much about either of those breeds but neither of the chicks from them that I found had the all black features

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I know at least a BCM and a Amerucana, I’m not sure what others were there. I was told there was a chance they could be olive eggers but I don’t see much Amerucana in their features, maybe as they get older? Thank you for the response! I don’t know much about either of those breeds but neither of the chicks from them that I found had the all black features

They could grow in their copper feathers later. Too me, they look a lot like pures, but their legs aren't as feathered as they should be (one looks clean?) There is one or two that does look pretty pure. One thing, how you're saying Olive Egger, I have an Olive Egger that at a glance, anyone could say she's a pure Black Copper Maran, but she's not. If one parent is an Ameruacana and the other is BCM, they could be Olive Eggers, depending on which breed was the father.

 

[NatJ]

I know at least a BCM and a Amerucana, I’m not sure what others were there. I was told there was a chance they could be olive eggers but I don’t see much Amerucana in their features, maybe as they get older?

If the farm has actual Ameraucanas, any Ameraucana-mix chick would have a pea comb, and muff/beard on the face.

If the farm has Easter Eggers being mis-labeled as Ameraucanas, mixed chicks could have just about any appearance. (It is common for Easter Eggers to be mis-labeled as "Ameraucanas," or several wrongly-spelled variations of that name.)

The farm I got the eggs from breeds BCM, Amerucanas, and I believe maybe Brahmas too?

Brahma-mix chicks would have pea combs, and would probably have more feathers on their legs.

Anyways since hatch they have been completely black, bottoms of their feet and their combs too. Just curious if these are pure BCM and if so will they grow out of the black combs or keep them.

If they are pure BCM, they will probably have red combs when they grow up.

If they are some kind of mix, they may keep the black combs, although I think they are more likely to have red combs by the time they grow up.

Several all-black breeds of chicken do exist (Ayam Cemani, Svart Hona, black Silkies.) A mix with any of them could produce chicks that are all-black (although I do not think your chicks are part Silkie, I can't rule out the others.)

I was told there was a chance they could be olive eggers

What color eggs did they hatch from?

 

[Jlwarn92]

They could grow in their copper feathers later. Too me, they look a lot like pures, but their legs aren't as feathered as they should be (one looks clean?) There is one or two that does look pretty pure. One thing, how you're saying Olive Egger, I have an Olive Egger that at a glance, anyone could say she's a pure Black Copper Maran, but she's not. If one parent is an Ameruacana and the other is BCM, they could be Olive Eggers, depending on which breed was the father.

They do both have light feathering on the outside of their legs, it’s hard to see because it blends in with their legs so well lol it will be a fun surprise if they do turn out to be olive eggers! That is if they are pullets at all

 

[Jlwarn92]

If the farm has actual Ameraucanas, any Ameraucana-mix chick would have a pea comb, and muff/beard on the face.

If the farm has Easter Eggers being mis-labeled as Ameraucanas, mixed chicks could have just about any appearance. (It is common for Easter Eggers to be mis-labeled as "Ameraucanas," or several wrongly-spelled variations of that name.)


Brahma-mix chicks would have pea combs, and would probably have more feathers on their legs.


If they are pure BCM, they will probably have red combs when they grow up.

If they are some kind of mix, they may keep the black combs, although I think they are more likely to have red combs by the time they grow up.

Several all-black breeds of chicken do exist (Ayam Cemani, Svart Hona, black Silkies.) A mix with any of them could produce chicks that are all-black (although I do not think your chicks are part Silkie, I can't rule out the others.)


What color eggs did they hatch from?

Interesting and makes total sense! The bad spelling is probably on my part, I always get it wrong with that one They hatched from dark brown eggs like the ones below, the blue eggs that were with them never developed

 

[NatJ]

The bad spelling is probably on my part, I always get it wrong with that one

There are quite a few hatcheries and stores that are doing it, probably on purpose. They often spell it "Americana" (which is a real word, but not the name of any chicken breed.) I just meant the farm might have bought chicks that were called "Ameraucana" or "Americana" or something of the sort, and correctly remembered the name, but they might still be Easter Eggers rather than actual purebred Ameraucanas.

They hatched from dark brown eggs like the ones below, the blue eggs that were with them never developed

Got it. In that case, I see why you are sure the mothers are Marans, and you are trying to figure out about the fathers

I'm not seeing any traits that point to one father or another, except that a real purebred Ameraucana (pea comb, muff/beard) did not sire any chicks with single combs and clean faces.

 

[Jlwarn92]

Just an update on these two, about 4.5 weeks old now. Their combs are still black and just curious if anyone thinks roo or pullet at this stage? They have really long tail feathers and feathered in pretty evenly and quick but one is definitely more dominant and I’ve see it pick on its sibling once before. I know the only way for sure is to wait for a crow or an egg, still curious though

 

[NatJ]

Just an update on these two, about 4.5 weeks old now. Their combs are still black and just curious if anyone thinks roo or pullet at this stage?

I can't tell yet. Given the size of those combs, they could be males or females, depending on what size the comb is going to be at maturity. (Females that have large combs, like Leghorns, can have combs that big when they are chicks of that age. Males of many other breeds can have combs that big when they are chicks of that age.)