Barred rock hopefully a pullet (PICS included!)

[Chickenkeepr]

Hey all, I acquired this barred rock (the woman who had this one and a billion other birds said it was an Imperial something or other..a bigger version of a barred rock?) about 3 days ago. I've been helping it along, keeping it separate from my big girls and it came to work with me today. From what I've read it looks like a pullet and I've named "her" Ethel lol. Is there any way to tell for sure? She's supposed to be 10 weeks old, still peeps and has the tiniest bit of baby fuzz mixed in with her feathers on her head. Thanks!

 

[ChickenLover200]

Not a barred rock... looks like a pullet tho.

 

[Mosey2003]

Why not a barred rock?

I've been looking into the Imperial Ringneck Barreds. They're a heritage line that get bigger and should have nice, clear barring.

 

[Kim Z]

She looks more like a cuckoo marans pullet to me.
The barring is too muddy for a barred rock.

 

[Chickenkeepr]

I did have another that came with her that looked more like a cockerel to me (thick, yellow legs and very prominent barring with more white than black) I was under the impression that barred pullets are a bit more "muddy" than cockerels. The lady I got her from was...interesting to say the least. Either way I'm happy with her. Is there any way to tell the difference as they age?

 

[Chickenkeepr]

She does have white tips on her wings if that would narrow down her breed at all?

 

[rebrascora]

She has the wrong colour legs to be a Cuckoo Maran and no feathering on the shanks which you would expect in the USA.
With yellow legs she is either a Barred Rock or a Dominique and since she appears to have a rose comb rather than a single comb, that would suggest Dominique. Unless of course she is not pure bred. She is looking like a pullet for now, but I'm not 100% certain

 

[Chickenkeepr]

Here are some better pics @rebrascora

 

[rebrascora]

Well that comb is definitely not a single comb, so I would say it is not a barred rock. I'm no expert but I believe that the white feathers in the wings may just be another indication that it is not pure bred. If the lady you bought it from had such a lot of other birds (I'm assuming you exaggerated a little when you said "billions") then it is unlikely that she is breeding pure breeds. Most breeders specialise in a handful of breeds at most. That doesn't mean to say that she won't turn out to be a lovely hen and a great layer..... I'm a big fan of farmyard mutts and have several hens running around my yard that look quite similar. Barring is quite a dominant gene, so it's easy to perpetuate without the breed being pure.

 

[Chickenkeepr]

Yes, billions was an understatement lol, should have said a couple hundred. She had everything from Blue Andalusians to Easter eggers. It was a mad house. I have 3 other hens from her that are mutts, one is supposed to be a Black Copper Maran. I think I wound up with one that lays muddy, ugly colored eggs, a brown egg layer and possibly an olive egger. I had many more from her but wound up rehoming them with someone that had the time to take care of their multiple issues (Favus, upper respiratory infection in one, scaly leg mites, lice..). I didn't have those for more than 8 hours before I found them a wonderful home and lost money on them (all are doing wonderfully now). I did get an olive egg the first day so she may have been one that left. One of them is also an egg eater as the past 2 days I've found eggs that are completely flattened. They now have free access to oyster shells so hopefully that will help. If not I'll have to find out who it is and she will go in the soup pot.