Barred Rocks? ***now with pics***

[mermaidgoat]

I bought 3 Barred Rock day old chicks (among some other breeds) and they are black, but none of them have a white spot on their heads. Could they be a different breed? I bought them from a local feed store last week.

A friend of mine also bought Barred Rocks (from a different source) and hers have the white spot. Everything I've read says Barred Rock chicks have the spot.

Thoughts?

 

[TriciaHowe]

Yep, barred rocks have white spots on the head. Maybe you got Australorps instead?

 

[mermaidgoat]

I called the feed store and they're insisting the only black chicks they ordered were Barred Rocks.

Is there any chance they could be barred rocks, or does the absence of the spot eliminate all chance?

I'm new at this, obviously!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Absence of a spot eliminates the theory of Barred Rock. There are other breeds that have the black.

Black Jersey Giant
Black Australorp
Black Orpington
The list goes on and on...

 

[sherrydeanne]

Are they completely black? Black washed down their feet? White necks or bellies?

Definately not BR's.

 

[speckledhen]

Nope, I breed BRs and have never had a chick with no spot. There definitely should be! Could be a black sexlink pullet or Australorp or Jersey Giant, but it's not a BR.

 

[mermaidgoat]

They are completely black (down to their toes) except for a yellow spot under their belly (in the back near their tail) and a really tiny spot of yellow under their beak.

 

[mermaidgoat]

In looking around a little, they look most like a black sex link (is a black star the same thing?).

Is it worth letting the feed store know they made a mistake? I don't really care what kind of bird they are as long as they're cold hardy and good layers...although the Barred Rocks are so pretty. I'm trying not to be disappointed.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, Black Star is one trade name for black sexlink

 

[gckiddhouse]

Listen, these feed store folks often don't have a clue.

When I first got chickens, I bought 3 Cal. Whites and 3 brown leghorns from a feed store. That is what they told me I was buying. And I asked repeatedly. Trust me. They only had 2 kinds according to them.

What I ended up with was 1 Cal. White, 2 Amber Stars (one is a rooster), and 3 Speckled Sussex.

Go Figure