Are these two different breeds?

[Lhillstad]

Purchased these babes from the feed store in August. The store clerk didn't know what type they were, I thought they were EE's. But now they are 25 weeks old, ready to start laying, and I'm almost positive they are not EE's. There are 8 pullets, 6 of them are one kind (picture below) and 2 are black (picture below). I think the red ones are RIR (not sure), but I've no clue what the 2 black ones are. The black pullets have white legs are seem to be maturing slower than the red pullets who have a more yellow leg. The middle picture shows the difference in the feather design. Any help would be appreciated. ~ Laura

 

[donrae]

Nope, no easter eggers there!
Your dark birds look to be dark cornish.
The brown hens, I'm not sure. I'm thinking something like a partridge rock, although they look quite light bodied, or a Welsummer. Not a Red bird, though, they're a more solid red over the body.

 

[ramirezframing]

the black is a dark cornish the middle looks like a welsummer

 

[Lhillstad]

Well, that surprises me....thanks a lot!

~ Laura

 

[farmerChef]

first is dark cornish, others are welsummers

 

[Lhillstad]

Not sure what to do with the black Cornish....are they mainly for meat....not finding a lot of info on them other than that.

 

[ramirezframing]

they'll lay eggs as well, just not like a leghorn

 

[farmerChef]

if they came from a hatchery, they should lay good, they are in the egg (hatching) business afterall.

 

[donrae]

Be sure you're looking at dark cornish, not cornish cross. The cornish cross are terminal bred meat birds. Dark cornish are great birds from what I hear. They're good layers, not on a par with a leghorn or sex link, but good enough. And I hear they make great mothers, if you're so inclined to raise chicks. If you don't want to, you might want to look into rehoming them to someone who wants good broodies.

 

[hdowden]

the so called dark cornish if you enlarge the pic looks to have a beard which would make it an ee the other are either welsummers or brown leghorns