Was holding my little chiclets yesterday and made an observation... the little RIR has the cutest little pinkish legs/feet. The black cochins as all have varying yellow/yellow-with-slate-wash/slate feet....and the chipmunks...sort of a pale grayish color. If they were EEs, I'd be tempted to call it green. Combs are larger by the day and just weird. So much wider than the other chicks' but bumps are not little round peas but definitely points. Both have a larger point that leans towards the left when viewing them. If they weren't out of a stsndard variety bantam bin and didn't have identical feathering, I'd almost wonder if they were bantam EEs as modified combs are so common in them. I tried looking into the leg color of bantam Brahms vs cochins but couldn't find anything :/
These were supposed to attach to previous mssg but didn't...sorry for all the questions/pics! I've just never seen a comb like this on a 2 week old chick. 2 of my EEs have single combs but at 4 weeks, looked nothing like this. I have a brahma pullet I picked up around 7 weeks and she has a pea comb that was practically non existent and had....well...peas. I had her brothers too for a few weeks..they had peas as well..not spikes on a cushion. Could these be bantam brahma hybrids? I dont think it's likely because feathering is too identical and EEs are crapshoots with plumage...but the comb is just so weird and the gray/green legs.... so stumped! If not an EE oops, leaning back towards SP Cochins...and mostlikely roos. I so badly want one to be a pullet! Update...looked at my brahma pullet. Her legs are def yellow so these must be SP cocchins...hopefully, the smaller, more defined, less feathered one with the slightly smaller comb is a female.
So I went back to feed store for grower feed for my growing-out girls...and went without kids to ensure I exercised self discipline. Because I was feeling very undisciplined after studying my chicks this AM. Pretty sure 1 SP cochin is a roo...I'd be shocked if he isn't. The other one? I suppose that one could still be a pullet despite the fact that she is the slowest out of all the chicks to feather and has the 2nd largest comb. She does have more definition in her chipmunk markings and on her head so crossing my fingers SPs just have thicker combs in general and that she is a she. Perhaps the sex-linked tardy gene I read about does exist and she has it. Based on feathering / personality 1 or 2 others could be roos but they could very well be pullets too. I had a conversation with God on the way to the store about how blessed and content I am with my chicks regardless of the fact that I might not have any black & whites in the mix. Was determined not to be tempted and figured the chances of any barred cochins being left was pretty much nil. A mature and quick feed purchase was the goal. But I did sneak a peek at the chick bins...and was surprised that 4 birds from last week remained. All barred...3 were clearly BRs. But one...and only one. ..and fairly feathered in...was a cochin! Sign from God? Perhaps...perhaps not...but...chicken world...meet Willow! ❤❤❤ I am now at peace...my bantam flock is complete. Now to save up my allowance to buy materials for a bigger run. Told my husband I'd sell extra pullets if they turn out to be all pullets. Yeah...chicken math doesn't work that way I'd better start saving! Our tractor is large enough for all of them but I want a walk-in run so I can sit with them! As for my little SPs, woman at feed store confirmed many of their birds come from Cackle...their Brahmas definitely do. She said the rest come from Townline. I'm not familiar with them so will look them up. I'll continue to post updates on chicks and feathers and gender for others that might reference this thread wondering about bantams they bought from a bin. Hoping everyone has a great weekend
Townline has an assorted bantam listing but none of the breeds included were in the bin i selected mine from. So mine are definitely from Cackle And Cackle doesn't have bantam Brahmas included in the variety listing so have my answer. My chipmunks are SP cochins!
First up....Cherry. Our little RIR. She's my youngest's favorite. She's our fastest to feather and is a nosy little bugger. Always alert and checking everything out and runs around like a little roo. She is solid when you pick her up...not soft like some chicks feel. I'm still thinking (hoping) pullet. Only 2 pics...as she's a ham and likes to pose so it's easy to get a side and comb shot
Next up, our suspected Silver Penciled Cochin roo. No name yet as he had a name but it was a girl name. I call him Miles but my daughter won't acknowledge the new name haha Less defined markings out of the 2 chipmunks and our largest chick. Walks around like a roo...acts like a roo...wins every challenge with other chicks. 2nd slowest to feather out of the bunch. And then there's that comb. At a day under 3 weeks, it's huge! And wattles are beginning to emerge ever so slightly.
This is Hazel. The other SP cochin. She's my eldest's favorite. She's our slowest to feather and her comb is larger than all the other chicks' except for Miles'. Still, she acts very pullet-like so for now, due to her defined markings and behavior, I'm ignoring the lack of feathering and going with pullet. Wondering if her crazy feathers are a sign of the frizzle gene or if they're just growing in a bit random and will eventually straighten out. I've never had a frizzle and I didnt see them listed in the bantam assortment. Will have to research the frizzle gene. Update: just noticed this one has pink emerging wattles as well
Harper is our most feathered black Cochin. She is my son's favorite. She is content to be alone or with the other chicks. She doesn't engage in the sparring and zooming and such; just quietly sits and observes the others' antics. Fairly certain she's a pullet