Are these Welsummers or hybrids? And is my big black momma a black star or black copper maran? Hel

[burrisusmc]

Hello, I need some help identifying some of my flock, In addition to my 5 Rhode Island hens I have what I think is a Welsummer cock and hen, but they have these wicked awesome white earmuffs which I have yet to see on any other Welsummers. The hen lays white eggs, not the brown eggs that are known to this breed. I also have a big black beauty hen and I can't tell if she's a black star or a black copper maran. Her eggs are tan in color. Any help would be great, thanks!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Your "Welsummers" are actually Light Brown Leghorns. They are a very similar breed in terms of color, but are lighter in weight, with larger combs, and have white earlobes and lay white eggs. Your black bird looks like a Black Star to me.

 

[BantamLover21]

Your "Welsummers" are actually Light Brown Leghorns. They are a very similar breed in terms of color, but are lighter in weight, with larger combs, and have white earlobes and lay white eggs. Your black bird looks like a Black Star to me.

x2 on this.

 

[K Spot]

x3

 

[burrisusmc]

Excellent guys, thanks! I don't really mind what breed they are, I love em anyways, but always good to know what kind of birds I have!

 

[burrisusmc]

Now that I've seen pictures and read about light brown leghorns it's quite obvious that's what my buddies are, especially the part about the roosters being aggressive....ha ha. My rooster Khal Drogo is a naughty man and attacks everyone but me, including the neighbor's kids....I love the little man though. I like to pet him while he roosts and tell him he's not such a bad a** after all....

 

[Michael OShay]

Your "Welsummers" are actually Light Brown Leghorns. They are a very similar breed in terms of color, but are lighter in weight, with larger combs, and have white earlobes and lay white eggs. Your black bird looks like a Black Star to me.

Agreed. Black Star is one of several labels under which some hatcheries (Murray McMurray for example) market their Black Sex Links, which are produced by crossing a RIR rooster with a Barred Rock hen. Not only can the resulting offspring be sexed by color from hatching (male chicks have a white spot on top of their heads, females do not), but they are egg laying machines, outlaying either parent breed. It's one of the interesting quirks of hybridization. I've raised Black Sex Links (Black Stars) for years (along with dozens of other breeds and hybrids), and they have been my best layers, consistently churning out more than 300 egg per hen per year. You should get lots of large, brown eggs from that lady. )

 

[burrisusmc]

Yeah I know what Black stars are, and that they are also called black sex links, I just wasn't sure if my girl was one or a maran. She does produce some nice sized light tan eggs. Now that I know she's a black star I definitely won't be hatching any of her offspring for future layers. I think we'll stick with the leghorns and the RIR's. No one happens to know what crossbreed I will get with a light brown leghorn rooster and a RIR hen, do they?? Thanks for all the help