2 month old barnyard mix

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

At 17 weeks, it’s looking more and more like Jingle and Jangle are hens!

Dusty Bun, one of the definite cockerels in the group also agrees that Jingle is a hen as I caught a first mating just yesterday. And whereas the other pullets in the group have not tolerated his advances, Jingle seemed a little more ‘aware’ and permitted the contact.

No eggs yet, but I’m feeling pretty confident. Here are some updated pics of Jingle (the larger combed and most questionable one) including a cameo with the boyfriend.

And Jangle:

What color would you call these birds? Blue barred?

I think the parents are a blue rock (Barred rock x Andalusian hybrid) hen and a half Bielefelder mixed rooster:

 

[SJsChickies]

At 17 weeks, it’s looking more and more like Jingle and Jangle are hens!

Dusty Bun, one of the definite cockerels in the group also agrees that Jingle is a hen as I caught a first mating just yesterday. And whereas the other pullets in the group have not tolerated his advances, Jingle seemed a little more ‘aware’ and permitted the contact.

No eggs yet, but I’m feeling pretty confident. Here are some updated pics of Jingle (the larger combed and most questionable one) including a cameo with the boyfriend.
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And Jangle:
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What color would you call these birds? Blue barred?

I think the parents are a blue rock (Barred rock x Andalusian hybrid) hen and a half Bielefelder mixed rooster:
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I don’t know what color you’d call them but I love it! Subtle barring on the neck and light blue body I wish I had some like them!

 

[AinaWGSD]

Yes, they are blue barred. For whatever reason, a single copy of barring on pretty much any base color other than black can be hard to see. The barring is most obvious on the darker blue feathers, but I'm sure it's present on the lighter blue feathers too.

Jingle is definitely a pullet, no hint of pointy saddle feathers and if she were male you would definitely be seeing at least some by now. Jangle most likely is too, but there is that one dark spot that I think is tricking my eye into thinking I'm seeing pointy feathers. When I zoom in it's not clear enough to determine the feather shape though, and all the other saddle feathers are nice and round.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

I don’t know what color you’d call them but I love it! Subtle barring on the neck and light blue body I wish I had some like them!

Thanks! I think they look so cool, too! Blue is one of my favorite colors and I've hatched a lot of blues but these have looked different since the day they hatched. My blue chicks usually hatch out with dark (black/near black) down and I can't always be certain of color until the first feathers pop up. But these 2 hatched out a smoky white/grey color. They reminded me more of splash chicks I've hatched in the past.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Yes, they are blue barred. For whatever reason, a single copy of barring on pretty much any base color other than black can be hard to see. The barring is most obvious on the darker blue feathers, but I'm sure it's present on the lighter blue feathers too.

I can mostly just see the barring in the hackles which are a little darker than the body feathers. I've been learning about barring lately but when it's a mix breed bird with only a single gene, I still get confused. One thing I'm lost on is why some feathers can be barred and others not? The rooster I posted above is obviously barred but some of his feathers- mostly on his tail and wing- are solid black (or appear to be). Do you have any idea why that is?

Jingle is definitely a pullet, no hint of pointy saddle feathers and if she were male you would definitely be seeing at least some by now. Jangle most likely is too, but there is that one dark spot that I think is tricking my eye into thinking I'm seeing pointy feathers. When I zoom in it's not clear enough to determine the feather shape though, and all the other saddle feathers are nice and round.

I'll keep an eye on those dark feathers and if one of these birds does turn out to be male, I'll be sure to give an update.