2 Cochins and 2 Buff...? What do you think?

[drivingfive]

Background: Purchased at a feed store. They were in a bin with a price sign that listed two types of chicks "sex-linked" and "assorted". The employee said when they place their order from the breeder (this early in the season) they can only choose either meat birds or egg layers not a specific breed and that these were all female/egg layers and that the majority of the chicks they get are leghorns.

So here are our "girls" ... I hope they are girls!

1. This was the smallest, she had major pasty butt that I got cleaned up and she is doing awesome after reading on the BYC forums to feed plain yogurt and boiled egg. She has feathered legs/feet and 4 toes. My guess is a cochin of some sort? She really matches to a black australorp chick but she has feathered feet so its really throwing me off!

2. This one also has feathered legs and feet and I am still guessing Golden Laced Cochin. Again, this one matches the pictures of Golden-Laced Wyandotte chicks to a T but the feathered legs! And both these chicks have lots of feathers on their legs and feet, it's not just fuzz.

3. These two are the same. They are yellow with buff/peachy wings. I would guess buff leghorn since the guy said they mostly get leghorns? Buff Orpington? Are the wings even buff? The picture on the top left is without the red heat lamp and they still look peachy to me.

So, there are our "girls"... I hope they are all girls anyway! Thanks for your info everyone and thank you for making us feel so welcome in this new experience!!

 

[Barrdwing]

Welcome aboard!

Regarding your new chicks: I think you're right, there is a very good chance that the first two are cochins. #1 may feather in black, barred, or mottled, and #2 probably will come in golden-laced although there is a chance of partridge. The two little yellow/peach chicks look likely to feather in buff, but there are a few buff breeds that look very similar at this age, so your guess is as good as mine. Genders . . . can't say, too young.

Kudos for getting #1 through its pasty butt! It's hard seeing a chick that is obviously having a rough time; you did a good thing, helping that little one out. Now may it be a hen . . . .

 

[Balbinka]

Not sure about 1 and 2.

But the buff babies you have look a lot like my Buff Orpingtons when they were hatchlings.

When they began feathering out, they were so light that I was worried I had gotten broilers!
They have turned golden with time and more feathers.

 

[drivingfive]

Thank you both! I am kind of hoping one of them is a roo because our city only allows 3 hens

My husband HAD to have the two dark ones and my kids picked the other two. If one is a roo, I am thinking #2, only one so far that you can really see the comb coming in. I love them all so if they are all hens we'll just go with it until we get in trouble and then relocate one. I'll be sure to update when they get older.

 

[UrbanFarmerGirl]

Thank you both! I am kind of hoping one of them is a roo because our city only allows 3 hens My husband HAD to have the two dark ones and my kids picked the other two. If one is a roo, I am thinking #2, only one so far that you can really see the comb coming in. I love them all so if they are all hens we'll just go with it until we get in trouble and then relocate one. I'll be sure to update when they get older.

Does your city allow 3 hens and a roo? Or do you mean that would be easier to get rid of one if you know it's a boy? I thought most cities only allow hens. It would be funny if they let you have a rooster but put a limit on the number of girls. Last year I bought 4 chicks, all turned out to be girls. My buffs looked like your yellow little guys. This week I just hatched out four chicks. I never realized how much hoping and waiting is involved... hope the eggs are fertile, hope they develop ok, hope they hatch ok, hope they are girls. Mine are just 2 days old now- so only time will tell!

Here, I'm allowed to have 6 hens, no roos. I know people who have 8 hens and say nobody cares because 6 or 8 make the same amount of noise, but I think the roosters would upset people. No way to disguise a crow.

 

[drivingfive]

Quote:
Just 3 hens no roos, and since we got 4 chicks it would be the easiest choice to kick out the boy

I am really attached to all of them though so if they are all hens we'll probably keep all 4 and break the rules! I'm stressed just checking on the chicks day and night, I can't imagine caring for eggs... Way to go!

 

[chisNchickens]

I'd like to know what #1 is also as I have one. She's older now, four weeks. I don't think cochin because she doesn't have the basketball butt. (My cochin's name is "BigBottomGirl" for all you Queen fans...)
So anyway, would love to see more guesses/suggestions.

 

[drivingfive]

Quote:
#1 is the one that had pasty butt REALLY bad, she actually has a bald (yet fully functioning) butt, poor thing... fuzz is starting to come back. #2 doesn't have much of a butt though either and I think they are the same breed just different colors... I'll post pictures in another week or so, I'd like more guesses too!

 

[chisNchickens]

Okay, after more searching I believe we have black mottled cochins. That is the only thing that resembles these guys/girls. The black mottled cochin appears to have more tail feathers than say the white cochin (which I also have). My BMC is VERY fluffy - way more so than the white cochin.
On aother note I went to Orchelyn's yesterday and found a black silkie! Yay! I really want a white one but black will do for now;-)

 

[drivingfive]

I think you may be right! #1 has a couple feathers that have white tips, you have to see the wing extended to see them but they are coming in like that! How exciting

Congrats on finding your silkie too black is the new white haha!