5 week old chicks - opinions on gender and breed, please

[ZazasMom]

@ZazasMom what color is the first ones legs?

Light pink

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

I thought it looked closest to a pea comb, but I'm confused by the shape, too. I ruled out buttercup when I read that this means it's a Buttercup breed, and the chick didn't look like that to me.

Well, wouldn't necessarily rule it out if they're mixed...but I don't know how the genetics work for it. It does seem to have a center column, though sparse...so you might be right about pea.

The first one might be a Jersey Gem. It's a sex linked breed though and I can't find examples of both sexes. I don't know where my glasses are right now...had a super hard nap earlier.

The second one might be some kinda Easter Egger but they're definitely not an Ameraucana. They appear to have a slight crest, which makes me wonder if they're the kind made using Legbar.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

A comb like that can also be produced form a V-comb x single comb breeding. Breeds like polish, sultans, and la fleches have V-combs.

Can probably rule out La Fleche. Those suckers are pretty much impossible to find in the US. I'd think Polish was the most likely suspect if this is a cross breeding type situation, though Houdans, Crevecouers, and Sultans are a possibility (pretty much in that order, I'd think based on the utility of those breeds).

 

[InterestingChickens]

Pullets.

 

[ZazasMom]

Thank you so much everyone! I will get in touch with the breeder and update here.
I’d be surprised if there are any crosses, but I don’t know a thing about breeding
We will bring all cockerels back to the breeder, and he will rehome them, so I want to make sure I’m returning the right ones, haha!

Any more votes for pullets??

 

[ZazasMom]

I got a reply from the breeder, and he says Chick 1 is a Speckled Sussex, and Chick 2 looks like a Black Jersey Giant, but when I sent the close up of the comb, he said it's a split rose comb, and called it interesting... Not so sure if this helps at all. Perhaps I misunderstood him at first, when he said they don't do barnyard mixes, which I thought meant they'd be pure breeds. Either way, I don't mind if they're not pure breeds, I just thought it might help to sex them... And now I'm really excited to see what that comb grows into - so please please let it be a girl

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I got a reply from the breeder, and he says Chick 1 is a Speckled Sussex, and Chick 2 looks like a Black Jersey Giant, but when I sent the close up of the comb, he said it's a split rose comb, and called it interesting... Not so sure if this helps at all. Perhaps I misunderstood him at first, when he said they don't do barnyard mixes, which I thought meant they'd be pure breeds. Either way, I don't mind if they're not pure breeds, I just thought it might help to sex them... And now I'm really excited to see what that comb grows into - so please please let it be a girl

Sounds like you have a speckled sussex or speckled sussex mix and a black Jersey giant mix.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Hey, I wanted to send an update on these two, almost 7 weeks old now. (You can zoom in for close ups)

Chick 1, probably Speckled Sussex:

View attachment 2722610View attachment 2722611View attachment 2722612

Chick 2, breed unclear (guesses welcome!):
View attachment 2722618View attachment 2722619

They're both quite skittish. I'm leaning towards pullets now, but what does everyone else think?

Thinking cockerel for the second one.

 

[NatJ]

Chick 2, breed unclear (guesses welcome!):

They're both quite skittish. I'm leaning towards pullets now, but what does everyone else think?

I'm also leaning toward pullet.

When the second one grows up, I'll be curious to know what color eggs it lays. I almost wonder if someone made a multi-generation cross using Cream Lebar, Buttercup, and something black. (The comb looks like a Buttercup comb, the crest looks like a Legbar-cross, and it is certainly black.)

Or maybe they just crossed a Polish with some kind of normal-looking chicken. I think the Polish crest and v-comb might be able to make that smaller crest and buttercup-type comb if crossed to a chicken with a single comb and no crest.

 

[ZazasMom]

Or maybe they just crossed a Polish with some kind of normal-looking chicken. I think the Polish crest and v-comb might be able to make that smaller crest and buttercup-type comb if crossed to a chicken with a single comb and no crest.

Perhaps Polish and Jersey Giant? Those are both on the breeder's list...