Ameraucana or Orpington

[BriardChickens]

Sorry not the best pictures.. but what breed are those 2 roosters? Ameraucana or Orpington. It's hard to tell with these pictures but feet and legs are black/blue and feathers have a green shimmer to them.

Thanks

 

[HanwellChickens]

Sorry I can't help with the gender. They are really cute though.

 

[shelldero]

I have a black Australorp that looked like this growing up. Same comb. She is now fat and lovely and rules our hen house

 

[BriardChickens]

I have a black Australorp that looked like this growing up. Same comb. She is now fat and lovely and rules our hen house

Those 2 are roosters, I have a pullet looking exactly like then minus the comb and wattles.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They are not Ameraucana

 

[Michael OShay]

You have 2 Black Australorps. By the redness of the comb and wattles, they appear to be roosters. How old are they?

 

[BriardChickens]

You have 2 Black Australorps. By the redness of the comb and wattles, they appear to be roosters. How old are they?

I think they are about 17 weeks old. Can I ask what makes you so sure they are Australorps? The farm where I got these from (as chicks) never had Australorps....

 

[Michael OShay]

I think they are about 17 weeks old. Can I ask what makes you so sure they are Australorps? The farm where I got these from (as chicks) never had Australorps....

Based on your description of them (feet and legs are black/blue and black feathers have a green shimmer to them) and their general build and body configuration, there are only three breeds that they can possibly be, Black Australorps, Black Jersey Giants, and Black Orpingtons. Black Australorps are by far the most common breed of these three so the probability was that they were BAs. Since the farm you got them from breeds Orpingtons, they could be Black Orpingtons. Black Orps are very rare in the USA and virtually impossible to tell apart from BAs until they are fully grown (not surprising since BAs were originally bred in Australia from Black Orp stock with the purpose of increasing egg production. As adults, you can weigh them and the Black Orps will be a little heavier than the adult BAs. BA roosters and hens will weight about 8 and 6.5 lbs. respectively, and Black Orp roosters and hens will weigh about 10 and 8 lbs. respectively. Chicken owners sometimes market their Black Australorps as Black Orpingtons and even John R. Henderson admits that he can't tell them apart just by looking at them (http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html). There is the possibility your birds could be Black Jersey Giants but it will be easy for you to determine if this is so. Just look at the bottoms of their feet. If they are an obvious yellow, you have Black Jersey Giants, but if they are another color (whitish or grayish), you have Black Australorps (or Black Orpingtons). For practical purposes, the only difference between BAs and Black Orps is that with BAs you will get a little better lay rate, and with Black Orps you will get a little more meat. Whichever you have, good luck with your flock.

 

[Michael OShay]

Based on your description of them (feet and legs are black/blue and black feathers have a green shimmer to them) and their general build and body configuration, there are only three breeds that they can possibly be, Black Australorps, Black Jersey Giants, and Black Orpingtons. Black Australorps are by far the most common breed of these three so the probability was that they were BAs. Since the farm you got them from breeds Orpingtons, they could be Black Orpingtons. Black Orps are very rare in the USA and virtually impossible to tell apart from BAs until they are fully grown (not surprising since BAs were originally bred in Australia from Black Orp stock with the purpose of increasing egg production. As adults, you can weigh them and the Black Orps will be a little heavier than the adult BAs. BA roosters and hens will weight about 8 and 6.5 lbs. respectively, and Black Orp roosters and hens will weigh about 10 and 8 lbs. respectively. Chicken owners sometimes market their Black Australorps as Black Orpingtons and even John R. Henderson admits that he can't tell them apart just by looking at them (http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html). There is the possibility your birds could be Black Jersey Giants but it will be easy for you to determine if this is so. Just look at the bottoms of their feet. If they are an obvious yellow, you have Black Jersey Giants, but if they are another color (whitish or grayish), you have Black Australorps (or Black Orpingtons). For practical purposes, the only difference between BAs and Black Orps is that with BAs you will get a little better lay rate, and with Black Orps you will get a little more meat. Whichever you have, good luck with your flock.

P.S. I forgot to add, since they are 17 weeks, they redness of combs and wattles could mean that they are hens coming into lay. I can't really see the size of the wattles well from the angle in the picture.

 

[BriardChickens]

Oh boy.. so after I already was 100% sure they were roosters they might be hens after all provided they are Australorps. I'll have to get a better picture of them.

Thanks for your detailed explanation