Barred rocks with strange coloring

[aropp87]

I have two barred rocks that are 5 weeks and almost fully feathered. One is getting its white stripes like normal, but one is actually getting darker. Any thoughts? They're right next to each other in the picture.

 

[aropp87]

 

[donrae]

Can you get better pics of the birds in question? What I'm seeing now looks like the lighter one is male, and the darker one is female. I agree, though, she's darker than desired ( a common thing with hatchery birds) so am not sure if it's just the contrast of the two. Pics of the lighter one's comb and legs would be good.

 

[farnorth]

Yep could be that one is a male and one is a female. Although your darker one looks very much like my Cuckoo Marans did.

 

[aropp87]

I'm thinking they're both females bc of the black wash, just so confused why ones coloring is so different from any other barred rocks I've seen. Below is my "normal colored one" and the chick in question is after her, thanks!!

 

[Kelsie2290]

X3, hatchery birds are often darker than they want for show. The lighter colored of the two chicks in the (3/4) pictures is a cockerel.

 

[aropp87]

Good to know about the hatchery chicks (where all mine will come from).

I was worried about that one being a cockerel, bc of the comb and wattle being so brightly red already, this early. Thank you all for your help!!

 

[donrae]

I do think the lighter chick is a cockerel.

The extreme darkness of the darker bird is simply a normal variation. If one were seriously breeding, this bird would be culled. But for backyard flocks, we usually don't care so much. I've had a few darker birds like this from MMM and Ideal, it's just sloppy breeding on their part.

 

[Mschkweasnduck]

Darker is pullet & whiter barred markings are cockerels