Are these really buff leghorns? And is my pullet actually a roo?

[Ange H]

Hi all,

Fairly new around here, but have already learnt lots from all the wise chicken people on the forums - thank you!
I was hoping to borrow some expert eyes for an opinion on our new, first-time chickens.

We were sold these as four 16 week buff leghorn pullets, but after looking around here at some of the leghorn threads, I'm not entirely convinced, maybe a local difference in Australia? Or they're a mixed breed? Though they do seem to have some of the leghorn flightiness!

They have some white mixed through their feathers, grey legs, I think they're developing white earlobes. They should be 25 weeks now. The smaller pullet has some black markings around the neck and through the tail. The one I think is a roo is larger, paler in colour, has some red wattles and comb developing, blue-white earlobes and I think has some saddle feathers.

This is the best shot of all four of them



This shows the body type/colouring of two of the pullets:

(the tail normally sits at more of an angle, as seen in the background of the next photo)

Better head shot of the suspected roo. In the background a better tail shot of the larger pullets and the smaller pullet just to the left of the roo shows her body type and black markings pretty well.



Any help would be most appreciated, thank you for taking to time to look!

Angie

PS. Any insight into how to get chickens to hold still and pose would be greatly appreciated

 

[Ange H]

Also, just for fun, photo of my favourite pullet becoming curious about the camera. Thanks again everyone!!

 

[Highlander]

They are definitely not leghorns. The roo looks to be a silkie mix.

 

[Spangled]

We were sold these as four 16 week buff leghorn pullets, but after looking around here at some of the leghorn threads, I'm not entirely convinced, maybe a local difference in Australia?

Well, they aren't standard "buff." If they were genetically buff, the females wouldn't have black tails or white tails. Neither would there be any black around the neck. The rooster would be completely buff colored also--from head to tail. The color of feathers that they have is often referred to as buff, but they are not genetically buff the way Buff Leghorns and Buff Orpingtons are.

They sure are pretty, and they look good and healthy. I hope they lay you lots of eggs. Congratulations on your first chickens!

And I'm finding out myself that some very nice people will tell you just about anything to sell you a chicken. I had someone telling me that a chicken with a pea comb was an Orpington a few days ago. The good thing about chickens is that if you feed them, they will lay.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

I'm also not aware of any Leghorns that have feathered legs. I'm not sure what your breed standard calls for but in the US, Leghorns are to be clean legged with yellow legs, white ear lobes, and either a single comb or a rose comb. I'm pretty sure you have some lovely barnyard crosses. And, yes, the one is definitely a cockerel.

 

[BlazeJester]

Leghorns have straight combs, as well.

Looks like a bunch of buff bramha crosses. If I had to guess, daddy was a buff bramha and mommies were all sorts of "breeds".

 

[Illia]

Definitely no Brahma in those.


Looks to me like someone crossed a Buff Silkie with some sort of game or even Leghorn type breed, then continued from there. They're basically mutts though.