All Black Barred Rock Chick (Pic) Question

[FromChictoChick]

Is it unusual to get an all black barred rock chick? Will it stay this color or develop the barring? Does this have an impact on its gender?
Also one has dark legs and the other light, is it just an old wives tale that light legs are cockerels? I was told these are straight run hens, but I'm afraid of the straggler rooster!
Thank you in advance for your input!

 

[juliechick]

The chick is not a Barred Rock. Sorry, I can't be more helpful than that.

 

[FromChictoChick]

You're sure? Agway assured me they're barred rocks Is neither?
Any guess as to the breed?

 

[juliechick]

I'm sure. I raise Barred Rock Bantams. They have barring on their wings from the very beginning and the chicks are black with white on them like your chick on the right. So, you have one ? and one Barred Rock.

I don't know on breed of the all black one.

 

[ShowYourStuff]

Judging by the slate leg color and the beak color, I think the black one is an australorp. They are still good egg layers, but may be picked on by the barred rocks due to their calm nature. I could be wrong though. I haven't raised standard breeds in a long while.

 

[FromChictoChick]

So, I called Morrison's Agway
The hatchery these chicks came from does not do Australorps to his knowledge

Possible black sex link?

 

[texas75563]

Both male and female barred rocks have a white spot on top of their heads. Yes it could be a black sex link. Black sex links only the males have the white spot on the top of their heads.

 

[wantbantams]

If it makes you feel better I have 2 all black feathered and white breasted barred rocks too. I was told by meyer hatchery that they were barred rock bantams too. Mystery.

 

[MartinFarm]

Our family purchased "Barred Rock" chicks from a Rural King store in town. They are now fully feathered and happy; however they are not barred. They are almost completely black with a white tip on the wing and a slight silvery sheen to there feathers. I assumed they were going to get their "stripes" later until talking with a friend. She said they get their barred look early. They were clearly sold to us as Barred Rocks. Is this poor breeding? Or do we have a different type of chick? I love them and they are sweet, but it doesn't seem right calling them barred rocks when they have no barred look to them. Hope someone with more knowledge can give insight. Thank you.

 

[speckledhen]

Barred Rocks get barring on the wings from the very start. I've raised them for almost 7 years now.

If it's all black, trust me, it is NOT a Barred Rock! Hatcheries mislabel shipments all the time and the feedstore just slaps the label up there. Could be a black sex link pullet, though, if there was no head spot at all.


This brother and sister were less than two weeks old--notice the wings on both: