BBS Orpingtons for Broody Hen-DUPED!

[JenniMcChick]

If they're purebred, they could be Marans, but with this seller there's really no guarantee at this point. Most do look blue, black, or splash, but there's one that looks cuckoo, so that one will be interesting.

Interesting indeed!

 

[Slothinc]

I was also going to guess marans. Will be really interesting to see what happens!! Sorry you got duped, and can’t believe the breeder is now ghosting you

 

[JenniMcChick]

I was also going to guess marans. Will be really interesting to see what happens!! Sorry you got duped, and can’t believe the breeder is now ghosting you

Thank you & me, too! Babies did not have any signs of not being BBS Orpingtons when we picked them up, ie. no feathering on legs, feet or toes. But showed up within the 1st week after we got them. Now idk how old honestly.
I was just trying to figure out what I actually got & was never anything but amicable, so the "breeder" being a crappy person & refusing to communicate after selling me the wrong product is on him not on me, so moving along in this little journey.
In the meantime gonna enjoy the ride & enjoy these babies while they're still little fuzzies & then wait & see how they turn out & see if we can figure out what we got.

 

[EChicky]

The little blue one with feathers on her legs kinda looks like a blue Cochin chick. I have one right now and they look pretty similar. They’re all so cute and congrats by the way!!! You’re broody hen seems super sweet!

 

[JenniMcChick]

The little blue one with feathers on her legs kinda looks like a blue Cochin chick. I have one right now and they look pretty similar. They’re all so cute and congrats by the way!!! You’re broody hen seems super sweet!

Thanks! & yes, she's a sweetheart!
Have heard horror stories of broody hens being mean & nightmares, but we are very blessed & thrilled with the job Honey is doing as a first time Mama.

 

[EChicky]

Thanks! & yes, she's a sweetheart!
Have heard horror stories of broody hens being mean & nightmares, but we are very blessed & thrilled with Honey.

Oh my gosh!! We have a buff Orpington that is great with chicks and her name is Honey too!
I guess their sweetness is just implied with the name

 

[JenniMcChick]

Been super busy, so sorry for not updating before now.

Honey's now taken the chicks out of the brooding enclosure & out into the big, wide world. Chicks are enjoying exploring and are very good about listening to their Mama. And she is proving to be such a wonderful Mama Hen!

Next day I let her & the chicks out first for about 1/2 and hour before letting Dot & the Golden Girls out of their run. I stayed close, but turns out they didn't need me at all. Funny part is the chicks were not at all afraid of the big girls, but initially, the hens were leery, skiddish & jumpy when the babies got near them. They quickly settled down & played nice, however, & had no issue at all partaking of treats together.

 

[JenniMcChick]

Right now my guesses are: 1 splash, 1 cuckoo, 1 black (or black copper if "breeder" included a different variation, just as with the cuckoo-which looks like might end up a blue cuckoo ), 1 blue, and the last little one could go blue or black as of rn. Although when stretching out it's wings, looks to be more gray in there than the darker outer ones).

Now as to cockerels vs pullets...??? I'm pretty sure the black (w/white wing tips as of rn) is a male. Carries himself as such & has plenty of energy & confidence, despite little comb growth, but I'm guessing that it just because he's only about 13-15 days old. I'm also pretty sure I saw a a bit of red-ish colored hue on those shoulders today. Clean legs, not showing any feathering.

I'm assuming the cuckoo is the oldest, as it has always been the largest & already had 2 rows of wing feathers when we got them on 3/01. Comb is growing in more than in the others (no pink or red) & it's also the only one with pin feathers in the tail already, but I'm assuming it's because it's older. Thought it might be a cockerel, but maybe not based on behavior and the fact that 2 others are almost catching up size-wise. Or it may very well be wishful thinking as this little one is REALLY growing to be my favorite & I have no need for 2 cockerels. Willing to keep more than one initially & let them grow out, but in the end, will only be able to keep one as I do not have enough ladies for more than one rooster.

The splash chick started out as my fave, but cuckoo one quickly catching up to this one. Still think it's going to be gorgeous & looking forward to keeping this one regardless of gender! I initially thought this was a cockerel, but will be thrilled to have it be a pullet, since am nervous about how many males I may have out there. Regardless, unless it turns into a mean or aggressive rooster at some point, this one stays regardless of gender.

Splash one seems to be same age as the black one & they have feathered out wings together. Neither has any tail to speak of. Definitely much more laid back & easy going than the black rn. Calm, shy, less energetic & sticks pretty close to Mama. Again, thinking about 2 weeks old.

The last two are the youngest & the smallest. One blue for sure. And the other one could go black or blue as of rn. One day out of the incubator when we got them so makes them 11-12 days old now. The one I'm pretty sure will be blue also seems to be showing cockrel stance & confidence. Or maybe I'm just paranoid! These two have the most "fuzz" on their legs & outside toe.

The little black/blue does have alot of gray after the 1st row of feathers when it stretches those little wings out, unlike the bigger black one. Plus it's black is looking more dark charcoal vs the jet black of the older one.

This little one is the only one I'm willing to step out on a limb about and say MAY be a pullet. But this baby only 11-12 days old, so should probably take that with a grain of salt.

Running into issues with pics rn, so promise I'll post some tomorrow!

 

[Slothinc]

Adorable pics and I love hearing about these cuties!!! The splash and one of the black ones look like they have really small combs - I can’t tell, are they different than the straight combed babies or just really small? If they are a different type, that could help identify breed. If they are just small straight combs then it could indicate possible females. At any rate, they are adorable!

 

[JenniMcChick]

Here's an update on these babies. I've attached pics of the 3 that are still part of our flock. Pics are of them at 12, then again at almost 20 weeks.
Lost the black chick (cockerel), Cuckoo (pullet) and our sweet, sweet Honey to an unknown predator who got into the outdoor brooder after the latch on the drop-down door to it's little run failed during a strong overnight storm. & because of the storm, our lab was in the house with our mini-schnauzer. (Although I'm not sure we would have heard any of the ruckus due to all the incredibly loud thunder, which Ziva is afraid of, hence why in the house). But I'd like to think she would have been able to keep the predator at bay & away from the brooder coop. But it's irrelevant at this point...

We woke up to the 3 surviving chicks waiting for us by the front door on Easter morning. The coop is in the BACK "yard" so it was our first hint of a problem. The black chick (already showing copper on his wings & hackles) would have ended up being rehomed anyway, but loosing the Cuckoo bird and Honey HURT!

The surviving little cockerel was limping and required some care. It was during this time my husband starting calling him "Little Buddy".

I'd already named Jellybean (she was the smallest of the chicks). But veered from candy names to ice cream ones in order to accommodate my husband's "Little Buddy". We've since had to drop the "Little" because he most definitely is not! So he's now officially "Nutty Buddy" & the splash is "Cookies & Cream". Although I just call them "Buddy" & "Cookie". Luckily he can't read his name plaque, as he has no need to have any knowledge of the Nutty part, lest he try to live up to it!

I'm heading outside right now and will get pics of them and post as it is now almost a month since the last 3 were taken.